Fire and Freedom
by southernbeauty13
Summary: Hiccup's life seems like it's finally finding balance as he is stepping into the role of chief and is leading the island of Berk to better horizons when four strangers arrive. Dangerous enemies, enchanting secrets, and unforgettable moments will come to life on this wild ride. Takes place shortly after HTTYD 2.
1. Chapter 1- Meeting

There are many unpleasant ways to be awakened from a deep sleep. There are banging of drums, the sounds of people screaming, there is being pulled from the bed and onto the cold floor. Hiccup found that the most unpleasant of all was to have his dragon wake him up by jumping on top of the twenty-year-old first thing in the morning and licking him on all over his face.

"Toothless, what is wrong with you?" He groaned as he attempted to push the Night Fury off of him. As soon as the dragon's weight was off the bed, Hiccup covered his face with a pillow. "Bud, go back to sleep for a while. The sun isn't even out."

"The sun has been out for hours, Hiccup. You shouldn't have stayed out so late last night." Valka said as she leaned against the door of her son's room.

It had only been three months since the death of his father and each day brought new sadness with it. Each day also brought new lessons and responsibilities of being chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe.

"Toothless and I were exploring. You know how it is." He said and then smirked at Toothless, wondering how the dragon was so happy after the lack of sleep.

Valka smiled softly as her son spoke because she knew how truthful it was. "You lose track of time in the skies."

With that, she walked out of his room to let him get ready for the day. Toothless followed her quickly, knowing that his breakfast waited downstairs. Hiccup groaned before running his hands through his hair.

He made his way downstairs and then out the door to greet his people. He was still getting used to the idea of being chief and having his people greet him early in the mornings with respectful tones rather than the joking acknowledgments he'd received not long ago.

"Is not, you idiot." Ruffnut's voice could be heard and distinct from every other voice surrounding the young chief. She sounded angry but Hiccup smiled at the sound.

That was one thing that hadn't changed and he was thankful to Odin for that. His friends had continued to treat him the same regardless of his new title and he'd found that the only thing that had changed was that they were twice as loyal now as they had ever been.

He walked around one of the stables to see Astrid, Fishlegs, and Snotlout standing there with their arms crossed as they watched the twins argument. The dragons were watching the exchange with not near as much amusement as their human riders were.

"What's going on?" Hiccup asked as he came to stand beside Astrid.

She shrugged before saying "We've been trying to get them to tell us for at least an hour now but they won't stop arguing long enough to even give us a hint."

Barf and Belch rolled their eyes as they watched the expected response of Ruffnut punching Tuffnut in the stomach before turning to the other riders. She smiled when she saw Hiccup before saying "Good. Now that everyone is here, I can tell you guys what I found while out riding this morning."

"I saw them first so it's my discovery." Tuffnut said after catching his breath.

Ruffnut was about to turn and argue with them when Toothless growled and announced his presence. It seemed that the dragon wasn't in as good of a mood as his rider had assumed him to be.

"What did the two of you find that was so interesting and worth fighting about?" Fishlegs asked, ever the picture of calm.

"A shiny rock to hit each other with hopefully?" Snotlout said with mock enthusiasm.

Astrid raised her hand and smacked him in the back of his head. "No harm in asking."

Ruffnut was about to speak when Gobber came walking up to the group of young riders. "There is a ship turning in and we need you all present in case they aren't friendly. I'm getting too old to break the skulls of people. Hiccup, it's your job as chief to make them leave if they mean harm and to welcome them if they are friends."

"You aren't coming with us?" Hiccup asked, shocked that Gobber would pass up the chance for a possible fight.

"You're the chief. It's your decision that matters. I'm not the one everyone is going to hate if you make a mistake. That's all on your head." Gobber said as he walked away from the group.

Hiccup was about to say something when he heard someone grunt and a blow landing. He turned to see that Tuffnut had shoved Ruffnut to the ground and made a run for his dragon. Ruffnut stood up from the ground and chased after her brother, not wanting him to get ahead of her.

"You think they will ever figure out that their dragons are in the same body?" Astrid asked as she climbed on Stormfly's back.

Hiccup threw his leg over Toothless and laughed at her question. "I hope so. I worry about those two sometime."

Astrid smirked and arched an eyebrow. "The two asses or the dragon's they are attached to?"

"Both." Hiccup said as he and Toothless took flight and made their way to the dock with the girl's following closely behind them.

It didn't take long before the dragons and their riders were all waiting on the dock as the ship stopped. It was a sturdy ship but was strange because it had no Viking symbols on them. This made the riders tense because this sign said that the people aboard were not of any neighboring tribes and the group had no idea what to expect out of these newcomers.

"What's taking so long?" Ruffnut asked and her brother snorted.

"They are probably scared." He held up his arms and said: "No one wants to face the wrath of the greatest weapon on Berk."

Hiccup had no time to reply before Snotlout said "Your breath?"

Astrid bit her lip to hide back her laughter but couldn't stop her amused smile. They waited a few more minutes but when no one came out, the group of riders started to get anxious.

Hiccup put a hand on Toothless as he hopped off of the dragon and said: "We don't mean you any harm but if you want to step foot on this island, I suggest you show yourselves."

Toothless grew uneasy until he heard the sound of footsteps on the boat. A girl came into view then and gave a warm smile to the riders of Berk. She stepped onto the dock and gave a small bow to the group of riders.

"I assure you my sisters and I mean no harm. We were simply seeking a place to take refuge from the sea." She smiled and her forest green eyes sparkled with sincerity and kindness. The young woman's dark brown hair was pulled up into a tight bun but her bangs were falling into her face from the light wind. From her sun-kissed skin, it was easy to assume that she'd been at sea for at least a week.

She looked at each of the riders before her eyes rested on the dragons beside them. Her face showed no fear but her hands grabbed at the skirt of her brown dress and lifted it slightly in case she would have to make a run back to the boat. Toothless gave the woman a grin with his teeth retracted hoping to calm her fears by showing that the dragons were harmless.

"I see we've made a mistake. We'll leave and not return." She said and was about to walk back up the ship when another girl leaped off of the boat and onto the dock.

"Terra, is everything okay?" She asked and when she saw what was behind her sister, her electric blue eyes widened in fear. She hid behind her sister and her cyan colored hair fell in loose waves as she peeked around her older sister.

Hiccup gestured with his head for Fishlegs to follow him as he walked towards the girls. He held his hands with his palms open as he said "We aren't going to hurt you and neither are our dragons. Unless you attack first, no harm will come to any of you."

Terra looked at the chief hesitant but the other girl was not nearly as cautious. She walked up and held out her hand as she said "I'm Isla. This is my sister, Terra. My other two sisters are on the ship probably wondering where I've run off to."

Hiccup took her hand and shook it before letting it drop to his side. "My name is Hiccup. This is Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut."

The girl looked at each of them and was met with warm but cautious smiles by all except Astrid. Toothless growled to remind Hiccup that they were still present. Isla stepped back a little to put more distance between herself and the dragon.

Ruffnut snorted and said "You left out Barf, Belch, Meatlug, Stormfly, Hookfang, and Toothless. You distracted or something?"

Fishlegs smiled at Isla before saying "I just think it's a lot of new faces and he didn't want them to be overwhelmed."

"Isla!" A voice called from the ship and the riders looked to see that another sister had made herself known. The purple haired woman walked down to pull her sister into a tight hug and say "Don't scare me like that ever again."

Isla struggled until she realized that escape was impossible without help. "Skya, you're crushing me!"

Skya let her sister go before running a hand through her long hair nervously. Skya smoothed out her pale pink shirt and pants before looking to the riders and her gray eyes were apologetic as she said "I do hope we aren't an inconvenience. We mean no harm but we understand clearly if we aren't welcomed."

Skya was taking a step back when Tuffnut walked up to her. "Don't worry. We won't do you any harm unless you strike us. Then you will have to deal with me."

Skya, Isla, and Terra backed up a little towards the ship while Astrid snuck up behind him and hit him in the back of the head. "Tuffnut, we don't need to scare them off."

"If his fighting skills are as threatening as his name, I'm certain we can hold our own." A woman's voice came from above them. "Are your parents cruel here or are the names meant to make you grow up stronger after being tortured at an early age?"

Hiccup looked up to where the voice was coming from but saw nothing. "You must be the other sister."

"You must be the smart one." The woman said with a laugh and it no longer sounded so distant.

Hiccup's eyes searched until he finally rested on a fourth figure that looked much more threatening and confident than the other girls. She wore a black corset, a small jacket that was just enough to cover her arms, and leggings that were all the same colors of blue and black. The only slight offering of color rested on her ankle where she had a silver chain with silver and black beads around her boot. Her pale skin was a striking contrast with her dark clothing but her shocking features were her hair and eyes.

Her hair started off as a deep red and faded to a gentle gold when it reached the woman's waist. This was all held together by her piercing rose-colored eyes. She stood completely confident until she let a bit of a smile show. She placed her hands on her hips before looking directly into Hiccup's green eyes, addressing him above everyone else.

"My name is Vesta."

 *****Wow. I think this is the longest chapter I have ever written. Okay, so I guess to start this is my first HTTYD fanfic. I watched the movies a while back and watched them recently only to fall completely in love with the series. After a month of consideration and arguing with myself on whether or not to post my story, I have decided to give it a shot. I have a DeviantArt account that I plan on putting images of Terra, Isla, Skya, and Vesta up as soon as I am able to. Thank you for reading and let me know what you guys think so far.**


	2. Chapter 2- Safe and Strange

As soon as the girl met the eyes of the Night Fury, Hiccup braced himself for the reaction that she had shared with the other three. Instead, he was quite taken back when she walked around him and the twins to the dragon that had scared his tribe for years.

"You are quite a beauty." She said as she got on one knee and placed her hand on Toothless' head. His green eyes met her rose-colored ones and a dazzling smile graced the young woman's features.

The eldest of the sisters, Terra, stood strongly in front of Skya and Isla as she said: "Vesta, what are you doing?"

"It's a Night Fury. I thought they'd all been wiped out a long time ago." Vesta never took her eyes off of Toothless as she spoke as if everything was right in the world at that moment. When she spoke again, it was barely above a whisper. "I've never been so happy to be wrong."

Toothless grinned with his teeth retracted back and watched as the girl's smile only grew.

She was completely unaware of everyone's eyes on her as she stared at the Night Fury and had no intention of paying them any attention while in its presence. However, Fishlegs would quickly bring her back to reality. "You all look awfully young to be traveling a long distance on your own if you don't mind me saying."

Isla smiled politely as she stepped out from behind Terra, assuming that they were in safe company because Vesta of all the sisters was relaxed, a rare occurrence. "Terra is the oldest at nineteen years old, Skya is eighteen, and I'm the youngest being sixteen. Vesta just reached seventeen last month."

Terra looked like she was about to protest when Vesta said: "The Night Fury is twenty."

"You sound surprised." Snotlout said with a snort before relaxing into Hookfang.

Vesta stood up strongly before asking the dragon: "How have you survived for so long?"

Toothless looked at her confused but only had a moment to do so before a confusion spread across her features. She then walked back to behind the dragon and knelt beside his tail.

"That was… actually my doing." Hiccup said as he ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"The invention?" she asked before turning to glare at him over her shoulder. "Or the damage?"

Hiccup gave her an uneasy smile before saying "Both, actually."

Her sister's caught the familiar look that Vesta gave the young, Viking chief and knew that their sister wasn't good at controlling her impulses. However, she let go of all of her comments when the Night Fury that had been named Toothless left her side and went to his rider.

A smile tugged at her lips as she said: "It seems like the act of violence hasn't caused any harm."

"He got me back." Hiccup said and gestured to his prosthetic leg. "He couldn't save all of me."

"Blah, blah, blah," Tuffnut said and this caused the young chief and the fiery-haired girl to be reminded of their company.

Ruffnut spoke without a hint of amusement in her tone when she addressed the young man. "We've heard the story thousands of times."

Astrid climbed off of Stormfly and made her way over to Hiccup, who had yet to take his eyes off of the foreigners. One particular foreigner, to be specific. She laced her fingers with his before asking "Well, I'm sure you all have a home to go to so we won't keep you from it anymore."

"Actually, we don't." Vesta quickly answered, a teasing smile playing on her features.

Skya walked over to her and put a hand on her back lightly as she said "We don't have a home to return to. We've been searching for one since our home was destroyed."

Isla leaned into Terra with a sad expression on her face as she watched her two middle sisters talk to the strangers. Her sadness showed even deeper when Vesta replied: "However, we understand that you wouldn't want any additional people here with the harsh winter approaching."

"Berk is in a state of harsh winter nine months of the year. This coming season will be no different and four more people on the island may be more of a help than a burden." Hiccup's response was one of genuine kindness, something that the girls had rarely been shown throughout their lives.

"It wouldn't be a problem at all, actually. We've got an excess amount of resources this month so it wouldn't be any harm at all to have them here." Fishlegs insisted and this brought a smile to Isla's face.

She looked up at her eldest sister as she pleaded softly: "Terra, can we stay?"

Terra's face said that she desperately wanted to say no but had no argument as to why they should leave. They had no home to return to, no parents to worry about them, and no lack of resources that would require them to not burden the village.

"She's going to cave and say yes. Who can resist those eyes and my body?" Snotlout asked and Fishlegs put his head in his hand as he waited for Terra's response. The other riders simply glared at him, not needing words or actions to describe exactly what they were thinking as they stared him down.

Vesta scoffed before saying "You certainly do think highly of yourself for someone with the name Snotlout… and to be the shortest male present. Tell me, are you trying to make up for in attitude for what you lack in every other area?"

Hiccup bit down on his lip to keep from laughing as Snotlout's prideful smile turned into an annoyed pout at the girl's words. He quickly recovered from the insult to say "You are short too!"

"I'm 5'7 and a girl. Anything else?" Vesta arched an eyebrow and could see that Snotlout had no other comment to make. When she turned, she saw all three of her sisters glaring at her in disapproval. She rolled her eyes before looking at the woods and smiling as she took off in a full sprint to the woods.

"Vesta!" Terra screamed as the girl disappeared into the trees and bushes. Terra shook her head as she faced the other riders. "I wish I could say she wasn't normally like this but that's just Vesta."

Hiccup laughed before shrugging and saying "We can't control those around us."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Toothless broke into a run to chase after the girl that made her escape into the woods. Hiccup held out a hand to gesture to the dragon that was in a full-blown run.

"That was weird, even for a dragon." Fishlegs said as he scratched his head, voicing what every other Viking present was thinking.

Astrid looked to Hiccup before saying: "I think we should go introduce them to Valka and Gobber before they start to worry about whether or not we are safe."

Hiccup nodded before addressing the remaining sisters. "You all must be hungry. It's nearly meal time and I would like for the rest of the village to see that you aren't a threat."

"What of our sister?" Sky asked with concern clear in her voice.

"I don't think she's a threat either so I'm sure Toothless will bring her back in one piece." Hiccup smirked as he finished the statement. He ran a hand through his hair as he saw the discomfort in Skya's gray eyes.

Astrid rolled her eyes before saying: "She'll be fine."

Hookfang, Belch, Barf, and Meatlug all gave a low growl to encourage their human riders to pick up the pace and move to where they could gather for their meal. The riders laughed and without another word of argument, the three strange women followed the riders to the hall where the Vikings gathered for meal times.

 *****So that concludes chapter two. I wanted to post the first couple of chapters together so that I could get some of the explaining out of the way. Anyway, let me know what you guys think and thank you for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3- Not Like the Rest

As the group of strangers gathered around for the final meal of the day, there was a tenseness in the air that was centered around the missing dragon and sister. The riders weren't concerned for Toothless because they knew he would always be back but the women were getting anxious to have their sister returned to them before it was time to retire to bed.

Hiccup was feeling the pressure from the sisters as their eyes rested on him. That was one of the problems with being chief of the tribe. The blame fell on him regardless of what happened. True, it was his dragon that had run after the girl but this was the reason that he knew she was safe.

"Toothless wouldn't let anything happen to her." Hiccup reassured Terra for the third time in an hour. The girl rested her hands on the table and kept her green eyes focused on them, the expression on her face saying that she was unsure of if she could trust Hiccup's words or not.

Skya rubbed her sister's back soothingly, hoping to ease some of the young woman's nerves as they waited for their missing piece to come home. Isla was not as concerned.

She was worried for her sister but unlike her older siblings, she trusted the Vikings and knew her sister well.

"So what do you guys do for fun around here?" Isla asked and the twins were the first to speak.

Tuffnut grabbed a leg of meat off of his sister's plate as he said "Pranks and irritating the shit out of everyone on the island."

"Along with each other," Ruffnut added and just before Tuffnut could take a bite of the stolen meat, she punched him in the face and grabbed the leg from him. She smiled victoriously before taking a bite.

"Sounds…" Isla started and then waited for the right word to come to her but found no such luck.

"Childish," Terra growled. "It sounds absolutely childish."

Fishlegs gestured to Meatlug and had a hopeful smile as he said: "There is also exploring the new islands and dragon racing."

"Dragon racing?" Isla couldn't hide the excitement in her voice as she pressed for the large Viking to explain more on the subject.

"Absolutely not," Terra growled. "I don't want you on a dragon at all."

Isla leaned back and pouted a little before saying: "Vesta wouldn't have a problem with it. Could she go with me? At least to watch one race."

Terra put a hand to her head as Skya said "Vesta could be being devoured by that giant nightmare for all we know. I don't think her judgment is one you should be relying on, Isla."

"Damn, Skya." A voice said from behind them and everyone turned to look at the fiery-haired girl that was standing in the doorway with a grin on her face. "Almost sounded like you missed me."

The girls made no move to greet their sister but the relief in their eyes was clear as day to see that not only had she returned, but she was just as well as when she'd left. Maybe even better. The riders weren't surprised to see the girl walk through the doors of the hall but were rather confused about their Night Fury friend.

Toothless was right on the girl's heels as he walked in and had a grin on his face that usually only occurred when he was with his rider. Hiccup stood up from the bench and walked over to the two with a calm expression. He only raised an eyebrow when Toothless met his eyes but the dragon did not lose his grin.

"I hope you don't mind him running off after me. Animals don't usually take very kindly to me so he's definitely a strange one." Vesta smirked as she looked up at Toothless.

Hiccup shrugged before saying "Toothless knows how to handle himself. I'm just glad to see that you are alright. I also hope that you are extremely hungry and hard of hearing for what is waiting for you back at the table."

Vesta laughed as she said "Don't worry about me. Seventeen years of those two and I can ignore an avalanche. As for my appetite, I think your companion is more hungry than I am."

Toothless looked around before spotting the large barrel that held his fish and immediately rushed over to it. In the process of running for the barrel, the Night Fury's tail had managed to hit Vesta just enough to knock her off balance. Hiccup had learned how to act quickly over the years and found himself holding the teen to him as he held her steady while she regained her balance.

"Impatient little bastard." He muttered under his breath.

Vesta laughed before gently pushing the Viking away from her and running a hand through her hair to try to fix the fiery mess. Hiccup cleared his throat in an attempt to find his voice as he gestured to the seat next to where her sisters resided. He couldn't help but notice Astrid's posture turned defensive as the girl grabbed the seat next to Isla and whisper softly to her.

After a moment of contemplation, Hiccup turned and walked towards where his mother was standing against the wall looking over everyone. He gave her a respectful nod before joining her against the wall, ever curious to know what the woman was thinking.

They stood in silence as his mother watched the visitors carefully. She'd been wary when she'd heard that they'd come to the island and her worry had only grown after it was revealed that a fourth sister was running the woods of Berk with Toothless. Her face was tense until she watched Ruffnut burst into laughter at something Vesta said.

"Care to share what's on your mind?" Hiccup finally asked after a moment of silence.

Valka smiled at his curiosity that reminded her so much of Stoick. She didn't take her eyes off of the women as she said: "They don't seem to hold any kind of a threat and I believe that a home may be what they seek."

"A place to feel free." Hiccup smiled at the mention of a longing for freedom. He'd found this feeling in the air while riding Toothless and felt a twinge of sadness to recall how much time had changed since he'd first met his dragon companion.

Hiccup barely caught on to the fact that his mother was talking to him until he heard the words "You know?"

He looked up at her confused before asking "What?"

"She's a beauty. Long hair, piercing but gentle eyes, lovely smile, strong, mischievous, adventurous, and speaks her mind. I can see why Astrid doesn't want her here." Valka said with a small laugh.

Hiccup looked at the two women again and noticed that Astrid was sitting alone, glaring at the redhead who had managed to catch the attention of their companions. "Astrid knows that her friends aren't going anywhere."

"It wasn't her friends I was referring to." Valka said with an evil gleam in her eyes.

Hiccup stopped for a moment before gasping and quickly saying "Mom, Astrid and I are permanent. No stranger is going to change that."

"Son." She said softly before putting a hand on his face to make sure he looked into her eyes. "We all search for someone who understands us and that is no different for you.

We're not like the rest. Neither is Vesta."

"What do you mean?" He asked as he looked at her. Her physical features were definitely different from everyone else's but so were her sisters. They all looked a little strange but that didn't have anything to do with how they actually were.

"You said that when the girls arrived, all of them were afraid and cautious. Until she made an appearance and ran to your Night Fury friend as soon as their eyes met. When have you ever known Toothless to run after someone unless you are with him?"

Hiccup cleared his throat as he thought about it for a moment before realizing that she was right. Toothless had never run after someone unless it was asked of him or he thought they were a threat. He'd gone after Vesta the moment she had made the move to run when he knew that she wasn't dangerous.

Hiccup took into careful consideration what his next words would be before he voiced them out loud. His final statement on the girl was: "Her being different is what's going to make her a good friend at the most. Astrid means everything to me."

The subject died after that and they both turned their eyes to the four visitors and how their companions looked so at ease being around them. It wasn't until Snotlout spoke that tension filled the air.

"So have any of your ladies ever handled a weapon?" He asked with a sly grin.

"Most of us don't believe in using weapons," Terra said before she turned to look at Vesta, who calmly shrugged before taking a bit of her apple.

Snotlout leaned in close to Vesta before saying: "Really? Maybe I could show you some moves tomorrow?"

"I doubt you can show me anything that I don't already know but you would be giving me an excuse to injure you." Vesta's devious grin caused the Viking to raise an eyebrow but shrug.

"I promise to take it easy on you." He said as he reached for one of the grapes that were resting on her plate.

Without hesitation, she reached into her jacket and pulled a silver dagger with a black leather handle and let it slip between his fingers and into the table.

Snotlout said nothing but swallowed nervously and the only response was from Ruffnut. "Are you going to eat that?"

Vesta looked to the meat that was on her plate and pushed it toward the blonde with a look of relief. "I'm glad someone wanted it."

This caused her sisters to laugh as they stared at her disgusted expression. Hiccup walked over then and stood close to the table before asking "Not a fan of fish?"

Ruffnut stuffed the food into her mouth quickly but nearly choked when Vesta shrugged

and said: "No, I just don't eat meat."

"What blasphemy is this?" Tuffnut asked and Vesta raised an eyebrow at him.

She leaned back and said, "They don't like me but they like me enough to not try to devour me so I figure I'll return the courtesy."

"That's… an interesting outlook." Hiccup said and hoped that that would end the conversation.

"As for you teaching me some moves, I could kick your ass easy." this was directed at Snotlout.

"Prove it. We will have a match tomorrow." Snotlout let his pride take control of him and challenged the girl without a second thought.

"I was hoping you'd say that." Vesta said with a grin before she stood up from the table.

She was about to leave when Astrid growled "This is ridiculous. Who do you think you are to pick a fight after you come on our island, run off into the woods without a word, and then insult a member of our tribe?"

"I'm not picking a fight. I have been training with daggers and swords since I was six but I know there is a lot I can learn. There is also the opportunity to teach him new techniques. Hand to hand combat is the best way to learn." Vesta said calmly before putting her hands on the table where Astrid was sitting and leaned in. Her voice dropped to a low growl as she said: "However, give me the word and you will see what it looks like when I look for a fight."

Isla walked over and put her hand on her sister's shoulder, her eyes pleading for Vesta to let it go.

Without another word, the girl stood up and walked out of the hall. It was also then that

Hiccup noticed that the hall was silent. When he looked to the rest of the people in the room, they all began to talk loudly again and things had returned to normal.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Hiccup growled at Astrid.

Astrid glared at him before asking "What's wrong with me? What the hell did I do? She started it!"

Hiccup glared at her before saying "No, she didn't. She defended herself."

He then made his way to the door and walked out, hearing his mother gently say "Nothing like the rest."

 *****Well... that's chapter three. Love it? Hate it? Leave a review and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4- The Deal

As the door closed behind him, Hiccup looked for the girl that had caused so much uproar within the few hours she'd been on Berk. It was strange to see that everyone on Berk had welcomed the other three with open arms but had been hesitant when it came to Vesta. She was one that was either welcomed or pushed away from the people. There was no in between.

He saw the girl nowhere in sight but was surprised to see Gothi walking back to her hut while holding a bucket of what would appear to be herbs of some sort and her staff while her flock of Terrible Terrors circled close around her. One of the younger dragons dove after another and Hiccup watched as the bucket and staff fell out of Gothi's arms.

The dragon looked at her apologetically until she simply patted it's head and went to pick up the herbs. Hiccup walked forward to help but stopped in his tracks when Vesta walked into view and knelt down to pick up the herbs to place them in the bucket. When they finished placing the herbs back in the bucket, Gothi smiled in gratitude before reaching for the bucket.

"Please, let me help." Vesta's soft tone and kind smile were contradicting to the rebellious attitude she'd had since she'd come to Berk.

Gothi thought about this for a moment before pointing to the hut that the elder called home. Vesta placed the bucket on her hip and despite her ability to easily outwalk the elder, she stayed close by. She made no comment about the stairs that led to Gothi's hut and seemed content with the silence between the two women.

Hiccup watched after the two but made no move to follow them until Gothi touched the girl's arm. They hadn't walked very far so Vesta knew that they were not stopping due to the possibility of Gothi being tired.

The moment Vesta's cautious pink eyes met Hiccup's gentle green ones, there was a tension between the two. Neither spoke and Vesta was about to turn away when the elder made her way over to the young chief.

"Is everything okay?" He asked with a polite smile. The old woman smiled and gestured with her staff for him to walk towards the girl.

Hiccup gestured to the bucket that the fiery-haired girl was carrying as he asked "May I?"

"No," Vesta answered quickly but her tone wasn't harsh. "Not that I don't appreciate the help but I can't imagine that stairs are the easiest thing for you to handle."

Hiccup stares at her for a moment before letting out a light laugh as he realized she was referring to his leg. "You've met Toothless, right? Trust me, stairs aren't a problem."

"That not what I… I didn't mean… It's just that…" She was stumbling over her words in an attempt to say what was on her mind. "I'll just be damned, there is no way for that to come out right."

"Believe me, I've heard it enough to know that you are trying to be nice." He grabbed the bucket from her arms and gave her a sly smile before adding "The stuttering is new though."

She places rolled her eyes before saying: "Strange. That guilty feeling just up and vanished without a trace."

"I'm almost convinced except for the fact that I can tell you are trying not to smile." The moment he finished speaking, she allowed herself to fully smile before they began to follow Gothi up to her home.

Once they made it to the hut, Hiccup placed the bucket of herbs next to the door so that the elder could have easy access to them when she needed. He turned to ask if she needed their help with anything else when he spotted her looking at Vesta. The Terrible Terrors had all stayed close to Gothi except for the one who had knocked the bucket out of her hand. That particular one was currently perched on Vesta's extended arm as she scratched underneath the dragon's chin.

She walked over to Gothi and put her arm next to her staff so that the dragon would leave her arm and return to its guardian. Gothi smiled at the dragon before looking at Vesta and Hiccup. She wrote out her appreciation for their help in the dirt and they both nodded before making their way back down the stairs.

They were halfway down when Vesta spoke in a less than amused tone. "So did you follow me to make sure that I didn't hurt her or did you listen to your girlfriend's advice and come to tell me that I'm not welcome here?"

"Neither but I will tell you that you are too quick to judge. It's my job to decide if you are dangerous and to decide if you should leave. I think you are a pain in the ass but not a threat to my people." His words were quick and harsh because he was defending himself now. He had always listened to the advice of those around him but he wasn't about to let this newcomer think that he didn't have a mind of his own.

"I'm actually relieved to hear that." She let go of the attitude and a smile lit up her features. When Hiccup looked at her confused she offered him the explanation of "It's good to know that you think for yourself."

He was about to say something when they reached the last step and she took off in a run to the arena. He wasn't even aware that he was running after her until he was quickly catching up to her. She took a quick look over her shoulder and was surprised to see that he had caught up with her so easily. The moment they reached the arena, she stopped in her tracks and he had a frustrated expression on his face.

He took a minute to catch his breath when he asked "Why do you keep running from me? I don't even have a threatening appearance."

She walked forward and said nothing until she was close to him. She spoke just above a whisper when she said: "Neither do I. Appearances have a way of fooling people though."

"You are infuriating." He growled and she couldn't hold back her laughter as she walked away from him.

She leaned against the arena and looked up at the stars before saying "I can't even tell you how many times I've heard that in my life."

"Are you crazy? Is that what this is? You are crazy and lured me away from the crowd to kill me?" He asked as he ran an aggravated hand through his hair.

She didn't offer a response but instead only let out a small laugh. She didn't take her eyes off of the stars when she asked: "Why did you run after me?"

"I came to apologize for my friends." He bit his lip out of nervousness. He knew that they felt no remorse for what they had said and it obviously didn't bother Vesta but that made him feel worse.

She put her arms behind her head before saying "It's nothing I'm not used to. Hiccup, people don't often take kindly to people who are different than the rest. My sisters are easy to get along with because they do their best to make others happy. The whole point of me goading Snotlout was the fact that he will fight better tomorrow if he's enraged. He won't explain why he does what he does, he'll listen to his instinct."

"How does that help you?" He asked and only then did she look up, her pink eyes seemed to have a light glow to them that matched her gleeful smile.

She leaned away from the arena's wooden post but didn't come close to him when she said "I get the chance to learn the weak and strong points of a new opponent with a familiar weapon. That's something that can't be taught without being in a real fight."

Vesta looked into Hiccup's green eyes and saw no trace of annoyance, caution, or disapproval. Instead, she saw understanding and that he was in deep thought. She was about to ask what was wrong when he answered the question for her.

"I'm in full approval for you and my cousin to fight tomorrow." His words were calm and careful. She smiled her gratitude and he added: "However, I want something in return."

She arched an eyebrow at him before saying "I'm listening, Chief."

He rolled his eyes at the title before saying "Win or lose, if they are willing, I want your sisters to spend some time with the dragons. I don't want them to be afraid of them for the time that you all are here."

She looked at him with a smile before saying "Terra and Skya are never going to agree to that."

"I said the same thing about my father and he spent the last years of his life with one by his side. I just want the chance to show them that they are wrong about the dragons." She didn't fail to notice the way his breathing changed so slightly at the mention of his father

Vesta found herself wondering why the smallest cloud of guilt covered his eyes but let it go as he held out his hand. He looked deeply into her eyes as he said "Deal?"

"It's a deal." She reached her hand out and took his hand before shaking it once. They held on only a moment longer than necessary but in that moment, both of them noticed just how much a spark could light with the feeling of her gentle and smooth hand in his rough and calloused one.

He let his hand drop to his side and she crossed her arms over her chest before saying "Good night, Hiccup."

"Good night, Vesta." He walked off after that and saw the twins and Vesta's sisters making their way to the arena.

Her sisters said nothing as they walked past him but their expressions held all the words he needed to hear. Terra was enraged and refused to look at the young chief, Skya looked worried and only met his eyes for a moment, and Isla smiled at him sweetly as she kept pace with her sisters.

"So, we have the four newbies staying at our place. If you hear screaming in the middle of the night, we have nothing to do with it." Ruffnut said with a wave of her arms to emphasize the word nothing.

Tuffnut walked by and shrugged as he said: "We probably have everything to do with it."

The moment they were out of sight, Toothless walked up to his rider and gave him a curious look. Hiccup smiled before placing his hand on the dragon. There was no reason for them to say anything as Hiccup jumped onto the back of his dragon companion and they flew off into the night, wanting nothing more than to leave the worries of Berk behind them.

At least for the moment.

 *****Chapter four is done! I'm also on Spring Break at the moment so I hope to update again soon. I would love to hear what you guys think of the story so far and to tell me how I'm doing. Thank you for reading and have a great day!**


	5. Chapter 5- Lessons

Vesta wiped her hands on her pants as she pulled the daggers out of her boots before facing her opponent. They had wasted no time in getting ready for their "fight" as soon as noon had hit and both of them were eager to begin. Snotlout had looked at the young girl questioningly when she didn't come out dressed in armor but in a twisted top that offered no straps to cover her shoulders and left her stomach bare to the wind. She wore a belt that had a single gold hoop to hold the bronze pieces together and her fiery hair was pulled back in a ponytail that let pieces of her bangs fall free. The golden hoops that resided in her ears were something that was a shock because accessories weren't the best idea for a fight. If it wasn't for the daggers and her boots, it could be assumed that she was going for a swim.

Her youngest sister was a ball of nerves as she looked towards the stout Viking that held a massive hammer and a look of determination. Isla settled down slightly as Skya placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping that the touch would bring both girls a fraction of comfort.

"She's going to be stubborn so she has to handle this on her own." Terra said as she leaned against the arena. Terra felt it was her job as the eldest to keep her sisters in check but for as long as she could remember, Vesta had always gone her own way. For better or for worse, Vesta had faced her challenges on her own and did what she thought was right. Now was no different.

Skya looked to Tuffnut and Ruffnut with a nervous smile as she asked "Shouldn't the chief be here? You know, to make sure things don't get out of hand?"

The twins exchanged a look before bursting into laughter. Skya's face fell into a mix of anger and fear as they laughed. She clenched her fist and was about to do something she would be sure to regret when Isla touched her arm. No words needed to be exchanged because they both knew what Isla was going to say.

"Skya, temper." Terra growled but her voice still sounded calm.

The sisters were pulled out of their silent argument when Tuffnut said: "Relax, we'll make sure they don't kill each other."

"However, seriously injured and dead are two entirely different things." Ruffnut added quickly.

Isla nodded before her eyes widened in fear. "Does that mean that you two are in charge of making sure that nothing goes wrong?"

"Damn right we are." Tuffnut tipped his helmet to the young women and then looked back to Snotlout and yelled: "Show her what happens when you dare to challenge a Viking!"

"Hit him where it hurts, Vesta!" Ruffnut yelled down to the girl.

Skya crossed her legs and smoothed down her shirt as she asked: "Do you two ever agree on anything?"

"The only thing they have ever agreed on is that they are born together, live together, and die together. Other than that, it's always a fight." Fishlegs told her as he made his presence known. The largest of the Viking riders came to stand beside Isla, who blushed lightly when he said: "We'll make sure nothing happens to her."

At this point, the dragons had gathered around to see what their riders were so intrigued by and were surprised to see that it was a fight in the arena. Meatlug flew over to stand beside Fishlegs and didn't acknowledge the others until she felt eyes on her. Isla was staring at the dragon with curious blue eyes but made no move to get closer. At least not while her sisters were so close by and the only one that would say it was okay was in the arena.

Hookfang looked solemn as he watched his rider face off to the newcomer and something gave the dragon an uneasy feeling about this fight. Barf and Belch held much of the enthusiasm that their riders felt as they growled at the scene before them.

"Right on time." Fishlegs said as he turned around to face the riders that had been missing from their group of friends.

Astrid jumped off of Stormfly and quickly made her way to the arena as she asked: "Have they started their fight yet?"

"No, your friend appears to be enjoying the attention before he attempts to injure my idiot sister." Terra's voice was not threatening or accusing but more concerned than anything else.

Astrid didn't bother to acknowledge the girl as she stared down at her friend with a bright smile on her face. The twins continued to shout as they impatiently waited for the first blow to land so they failed to notice that their friends had joined them.

"How are the chiefly duties coming along this morning, Hiccup?" Fishlegs asked in greet as Hiccup jumped off of his Night Fury. Toothless growled a greeting to the large Viking before walking to the arena where everyone stood watching.

"It depends on how well this goes. I've asked Gothi to keep a listen out for us in case this ends badly." He said as he ran a hand through his hair.

Terra looked to the chief and for the first time, her anger truly showed. No words left her lips but as she stared him down, her forest green eyes were saying all that she was thinking. She turned away from him and looked down to her younger sister with a sigh.

The moment everyone was gathered around the arena and Snotlout saw that his friends were looking, his cockiness decided to take over his brain. "So is this going to be a say uncle match because I wouldn't mind seeing you beg."

Vesta threw one of her knives between his feet so hard that it went through the soil and only the handle was left to be seen. He backed away from the knife slightly and glared at her only to see her smiling.

"First blood." Vesta had decided on this the moment she'd stepped in the arena because she knew that neither of them would be willing to accept defeat. That didn't mean she didn't goad the Viking. "Unless you think you are going to need to give up."

Snotlout lost his arrogant look and growled: "Not on your life."

With those last words, Hiccup watched as his cousin charged towards the girl. She remained perfectly calm until he brought his hammer forward and only then did she move. However, instead of moving away, she lunged forward and dove behind the Viking to retrieve the knife that was buried in the ground.

She stood up after bulling the dagger from the dirt and quickly spun around to kick the Viking forward, causing him to lose his balance and fall forward. Isla leaned forward with a smile on her face, a strange look compared to that of her sisters' expressions.

"What the hell are you doing, Snotlout?" Tuffnut growled and Ruffnut grinned triumphantly.

Skya couldn't help her excitement and earned a disapproving look from Terra as she yelled: "Get him, Vesta!"

This seemed to enrage the Viking more and he let out a frustrated cry as he swung his hammer, not caring where it hit her but only focusing on swinging until he hit her hard enough to draw blood. Vesta dodged his attacks but never went in for one of her own. Instead, she let him swing like a madman and Hiccup noticed then that his cousin was tiring out after the seventh swing.

Vesta pulled her daggers out and lunged forward but Snotlout used his last bit of energy to swing his hammer forward and both of their weapons went flying into the set of spears that were resting against the wall.

"Enough!" Terra yelled as the two faced each other. She then looked to Hiccup and said "Let me inside the arena. Now!"

Hiccup made no effort to move but instead raised an eyebrow as he stared her down. He could see the rage building in her eyes but this didn't set off any alarms for him to do as she said.

Ruffnut had grown impatient at this point and sighed loudly, drawing their attention away from each other and to her. Ruffnut waved her hands and said, "We have to go check them out to see if one of them is bleeding."

"Dibs on Snotlout!" Tuffnut said as he raced down to where the arena opened. Ruffnut, Skya, and Isla were hot on his trail and the riders were quickly followed by Hookfang and Barf and Belch.

Fishlegs and Astrid stayed where they were. Astrid stood beside the chief as her fingers flexed, ready to grab her axe at any given moment as she stared Terra down, her blue eyes burning with rage. Stormfly grew protective as she saw Astrid's defensive posture while Meatlug simply stayed next to Fishlegs with a mutual expression on her face.

Toothless walked up to his human companion and growled to attempt to pull his attention away from the sister. The Night Fury didn't like the look of rage in his rider's eyes and decided that there was only one way to fix it. Hiccup's eyes widened and just as he was about to protest, the Night Fury licked his face and covered him in saliva.

"Toothless!" He yelled as he attempted to push the dragon away from him but the Night Fury didn't stop until he heard laughter coming from the human male.

"Ew." Terra and Astrid said in unison as they watched spit drip off of the chief.

"Bud, you have got to find a better way to get my attention. You know that doesn't wash out." He had a smile on his face as he flung the spit back at the dragon. Toothless growled in laughter before looking at Terra.

She pushed a piece of her hair out of her face before saying "I'm sorry. I just... I worry about her safety."

Hiccup nodded in understanding before saying "Then I guess I'd better take you to her."

For the first time since arriving on Berk, Terra smiled without worry being written on her face as she followed the chief to where her sister was. Toothless stayed close to Hiccup as they walked, partially because he didn't trust the sister and also because he didn't fully trust his rider to not do anything stupid.

"Fishlegs, are you coming?" Astrid called as she climbed on Stormfly. Meatlug didn't give the Viking a chance to answer as she threw him onto her back and flew into the arena. Astrid jumped on Stormfly's back laughing as she watched the two fly off before following suit.

When the three of them entered the arena, Terra was caught between the urge to severely harm her sister or to hug her and check for wounds. Instead, she did neither and watched as the two retrieved their weapons.

"No one's bleeding." Astrid stated and it was clear to hear the disappointment in her voice. "Funny, I would have thought Snotlout would have reduced you to a puddle of it by now."

Skya looked to the blonde Viking and flipped her purple hair as she said: "Don't sound so disappointed blondie."

"I'd actually be surprised if she didn't." Vesta said before Astrid could make a remark about the nickname that Skya had given her. "Besides, who said no one was bleeding?"

Everyone looked at her to examine where the blood was coming from on her but she simply smiled and held up her hand. Everyone examined Vesta's hand but when Hiccup saw what she actually meant, he couldn't stop himself before he said: "I don't believe it."

He walked forward and his cousin looked at him questioningly as he raised Snotlout's hand and flipped it over. There, at the very tip of one of Snotlout's fingers, was a small cut that produced a single drop of blood.

"In your face!" Ruffnut yelled as she punched her brother in the back of the head with a triumphant look on her face. She walked over to Vesta and draped an arm around her. Vesta eyed her suspiciously but didn't punch the female Viking so this was progress... for both sides.

"Come on, Terra. I know you want to chew me out so hit me with your best shot." Vesta said as she moved out from under Ruffnut's arm.

Terra smiled before she said "Good job. Just don't do it again."

"That's it?" Skya asked and both of her sisters shot her a look. Isla rolled her eyes before smacking her sister in the back of the head. "Ow!"

Vesta put her hand to her head before saying "You've been hanging out with the twins way too much."

"Next time I won't take it so easy on you." Snotlout warned and Vesta smiled warmly.

"I look forward to it." She leaned down and grabbed his hammer before tossing it to him. "Just don't tire yourself out or focus on how pissed off you are and it should make for a hell of a fight."

"You really do learn from it." Hiccup said with surprise.

Vesta arched an eyebrow at him before asking "Did you think I was giving you a line?"

Hiccup gave her a sheepish smile before nodding. Astrid looked at him confused before saying "You two talked about this?"

"I told him that I learn more when in the face of a real fight rather than someone over explaining step by step instructions." Vesta offered as Astrid glared at her betrothed.

"I see." She said before looking back at Vesta. "Is that what your excuse is for last night?"

Vesta tucked her daggers back into her boots before saying "No, our encounter was brought on because of your accusations. Nothing more, nothing less."

Astrid continued to glare at her but said nothing more as Fishlegs walked up to her. "So what does the winner get?"

Ruffnut looked at her brother and said: "I get your half of the stuffed Yak!"

"No!" He yelled back and then looked at Vesta. "I think she gets to decide. What do you want?"

A smile was exchanged between her and Hiccup as she looked at Terra with pleading eyes. "I want everyone to keep an open mind for what I'm about to say."

Terra said nothing but waited for her sister to speak but Vesta found it difficult to speak. She bit her lip nervously but Hiccup's encouraging smile and Toothless's eager expression gave her the encouragement she needed. As she spoke what she knew would shake the fragile trust that was just starting to build between all of them, she knew that what she wanted would be more helpful in the long run... for everyone.

"It's time for my sisters to put their fear of dragons behind them."

 *****One more chapter finished. I wanted to give a big thank you to Romitri4ever for the sweet review on the last chapter. I'd been having doubts about this story but the review, favorites, and follows made me smile and encouraged me to write this chapter sooner rather than later. Also, a thank you to everyone for the favorites and follows. Thank you for reading and have a great day!**


	6. Chapter 6- Fight and Flight

The group of dragon riders watched as Vesta's eyes pleaded with Terra to be understanding. Terra's eyes were bright with anger and her fists were clenched as she stared at her sister. She let her fingers flex out as she said: "Absolutely not. I will not endanger our sisters for you to prove a point."

"You are such a hypocrite!" Vesta growled as anger took over her. "You have always told me to give people a chance before I judge them and here you are, turning away the chance of a lifetime because of what you've heard about the dragons."

"Enough, Vesta." Terra growled back. "I'll hear no more of this. "

Isla's patience finally wore out as she watched her sisters argue and interrupted them by screaming "You never do! You are supposed to guide us. Instead, you take away our chance to think every chance you get!"

"Isla, please." Skya begged softly as her youngest sister's eyes filled with tears.

"I just want what's best for you." Terra's voice was soft like a child's as she spoke and her eyes held a frailness that was rarely seen by anyone outside of her family.

This didn't have any effect on Isla as the tears fell down her face. "Then stop trying to be Mom."

Terra's own tears fell silently but she didn't try to hide them from the others as the feeling of failure and mourning washed over her as if she'd been standing in the ocean. She turned to walk out of the arena and was quickly followed by a worried Skya without a heartbeat of hesitation.

The riders pulled themselves away from Terra and Skya to look back and see Isla running a nervous hand through her dark blue hair as she stared at her older sister. In truth, Isla was maybe an inch taller than Vesta but Vesta's height had nothing to do with her ability to look more threatening than her sisters. Her glare towards her sister was very similar to the glare she'd had when fighting Snotlout only moments ago.

"I'm sorry, I just..." Isla trailed off and looked away as she saw that her sister's pink eyes held no sense of sympathy.

Vesta crossed her arms over her chest before taking a breath and saying "Don't tell me. Go apologize to Terra and I'll see all of you soon."

"Your disappearing? Now?" Isla asked with a nervous shake in her voice.

Vesta nodded before saying "The three of you need to talk about whether or not you want to be near the dragons. I've made my argument so go make yours. After you apologize to Terra."

Isla walked off after that and didn't look anyone in the eyes but Vesta didn't fail to notice the sympathetic look that Fishlegs gave her as she walked by him. As soon as Isla was out of sight, Vesta wrapped her arms around herself as if she were cold but even with the cold approaching, the weather was decent in Berk for a change so that was clearly not the reason.

"I know I said we'd stay but I think it's time for my sisters and me to leave." Vesta looked up at Astrid as she said: "I don't think we need to be any more of an inconvenience than we already have been."

Astrid sighed with defeat before glaring at the fiery-haired newcomer and saying "I don't like you."

"I hadn't noticed." Vesta's sarcasm was quick and sharp as she spoke to the blonde.

"I don't like you." Astrid stated again before adding "However, I do think we can learn a lot from each other. I'll be willing to help one of your sisters with a dragon if you are willing to teach me your fighting styles."

Vesta looked at the blonde in shock before saying "Are you sincere or do you just want the chance to stick your axe in my head?"

"Both and I can tolerate your sisters. It's just you I wish would fall off the edge of the island." Astrid stated with a shrug of her shoulders.

Vesta thought for a moment before sighing with defeat. "Fine. If my sisters agree to interact with the dragons, I'll teach you some of what I know."

"Some?" Astrid asked with an annoyed expression.

Vesta smiled as she put her hands on her hips. "I have to keep some secrets to myself in case you follow through on one of your threats. That and there are some things I know that you can't be taught."

Astrid was about to ask what she meant by that when Snotlout said: "How are we going to get your sisters to even consider getting near the dragons if they don't trust us?"

"Isla already trusts you for the most part and Skya will learn to trust you if given the time. Terra is going to be the one that's going to be a pain to convince." Vesta looked at the different dragons that were close to their riders, hoping that with some luck her sister would see that they weren't what she'd heard about.

"How about a show of good faith?" Tuffnut asked and everyone looked at him surprised.

"That's... actually not a bad idea." Hiccup admitted and Toothless gave him a wary look.

Fishlegs scratched Meatlug's chin as he asked: "What did you have in mind?"

"How about we take Vesta for a ride on Barf and Belch?" Ruffnut asked with an eager expression. The two-headed dragon growled in agreement and everyone looked at the twins with a worried expression.

Vesta swallowed nervously before saying "No offense Ruff and Tuff but I'd rather take my chances with Astrid and Stormfly first."

Stormfly growled when she felt her rider tense up and gave the icy reply of "Not happening."

"Well it was a nice thought but I think I'll be on my way." Vesta said as she began to exit the arena.

Hiccup was about to offer another suggestion when Fishlegs said: "Hiccup could take her for a ride on Toothless. They already got the chance to bond a little while they were in the woods."

At the mention of his name, Toothless looked to the large Viking and then back to the girl to give her a toothless grin. She placed her hand on the top of the dragon's head before looking to Hiccup and saying "It's up to you."

"Of course it is." He said with a sigh, unsure if her sisters would care if they came back in one piece as much as that he took to the skies with their sister.

Astrid didn't have this hesitation as she said: "We can figure something else out."

Snotlout couldn't hold back his smirk as he leaned back in his saddle on Hookfang and asked: "Is it the concern for Hiccup and Toothless or jealousy that makes you not trust her?"

Stormfly growled at him and Hookfang rolled his eyes before quickly rearing back and making his rider fall onto the stone floor of the arena. Astrid didn't bother to contain her laughter and the twins joined her quickly while Vesta stood shocked at the words the Viking had spoken.

She snapped out of it before saying "He's really going to make me punch him in his face, isn't he?"

Hiccup climbed onto Toothless and attached his prosthetic leg where it needed to be before saying "Probably."

"How's the floor taste?" Tuffnut asked as he leaned over Snotlout.

Ruffnut joined him and looked down at her friend as she said: "Too bad he didn't throw you forward. Those spears are freshly sharpened and since they aren't hanging up, it wouldn't cause you serious injury. Just scrape you up a bit."

"They are never going to trust us at this rate." Fishlegs muttered as he put his face in his hand.

"Well, we're going to work on that. Starting now." Hiccup held his hand out to the fiery-haired girl before asking "Do you trust me?"

"No." Vesta's answer was quick but was followed by a smile as she grabbed his hand. "Change my mind."

He pulled her up with ease and she threw her leg over the saddle. Once she was secure, he said: "Hold on. I don't want you falling off."

"Well, that makes two of us." Toothless growled and Vesta laughed before adding: "Okay, three."

Hiccup looked over to see an extremely angry Astrid and offered no words of an apology but instead said: "Go talk to her sisters and make sure that they are in the middle of the plaza in an hour. Please, just trust me on this."

Astrid didn't see anything else as she took off on Stormfly and Fishlegs followed after her quickly with Meatlug. The twins were on Barf and Belch about to take off when Tuffnut turned to him and said: "She's going to kick your ass the next time you guys train."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and didn't get the chance to reply before Toothless sprinted out of the felt a nervousness wash over her but refused to scream as Toothless raced to the edge of the island.

She didn't close her eyes but felt her grip on Hiccup tighten as they barrelled towards the ocean. She knew it. She knew that she was going to die the second she agreed to the flight and closed her eyes tightly, bracing for the icy water.

When she didn't feel the cold water long after she knew she should have but rather heard the sound of the water splashing around her like something was being ripped through it, she opened her eyes. She saw that the tips of Toothless's wings were scraping the water and could see the fish swimming beneath them. She took her eyes off of the water to look ahead and the scent of Hiccup's hair hit her. He smelled of the woods, the ocean, dragon's breath, and snow, a scent that was uniquely him and she made a mental note to remember this for future uses.

"You okay?" He asked and pulled her out of her senses and back to what was happening now.

She nodded before rolling her eyes as she realized that he couldn't see her. She let a playful smile that he couldn't see as she said "I'm fine. Are you going to show me something impressive or are we just going to stay close to the sea?"

He laughed before looking over his shoulder. "Hold on tight."

Toothless gave her only a moment to follow Hiccup's instructions before they took off for the sky. She didn't let her face change but her arms tightened even more around the young chief as they continued to soar towards the sky. Only when they burst through clouds did she loosen her grip around Hiccup and reach her hand out to run her fingers through them.

"So, what do you think?" He asked as Toothless began to fly slower. The Night Fury looked back to see that Vesta didn't have a terrified like Hiccup had the first time or even an awed look like Astrid had but instead had a look of peace.

She placed her hand on the dragon's side before asking "How do you come down from this? It's almost the perfect escape."

"I have my responsibilities. Almost perfect?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

She smiled sadly before saying "If I could leave a part of me behind, it would be perfect."

Toothless growled lightly as the girl ran her hand over his scales, her touch soft and understanding as she looked anywhere but at Hiccup. He didn't say anything else as he saw the haunted look fill her eyes but knew that she was hiding something in an instant.

He knew that she wasn't going to say what she meant but he didn't push her to tell him. Instead, he gave her an apologetic look as he patted Toothless. The Night Fury gave him a grin before he stopped flying and Vesta had only a second to grab onto the chief as they fell freely through the air. As they neared the ocean, Vesta didn't feel fear this time but buried her face in Hiccup's back as she embraced the cool air. The moment they were closer to the ocean, Toothless reared back and they sailed toward the island they had discovered not long ago.

Toothless landed softly on the island and Hiccup didn't hesitate before jumping off of the Night Fury and onto the ground. He turned to help Vesta off of Toothless when he saw her staring at the clouds they'd just come out of with a look of longing. He cleared his throat and she smiled at his outstretched hand. She knew he was doing it out of kindness but she threw her leg over Toothless and slid off the dragon with ease as she walked towards the edge of the island.

"So where are we now?" She asked as she saw that Berk was far off but still in sight.

Hiccup ran a hand through his hair nervously before saying: "Itchy Armpit."

"Well that's... are you serious?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. When he nodded and a light blush covered his cheeks, she let him see the playful smile she'd hidden from him in the clouds. "Interesting choice of name."

He laughed nervously before walking over to her and looking towards his home. He knew that they only had a few moments before they had to return to reality so he hoped that the flight had been worth it to her. He nudged her with his elbow before asking "Are you hungry?"

She didn't get to respond before a small pebble hit the rider in his head. He touched the spot before turning to look at a grinning Toothless. "I think your friend is a little insulted that you didn't ask him first."

"Bud, when have I ever let you go hungry? For gods sakes, you don't even have to hunt for it." He walked over to the dragon as he said: "Besides, I know you scarfed down a bucket of fish right before we got to the arena."

Toothless gave him a grin before standing on his back legs and falling forward on the Viking, who made a sound of complaint as Toothless pinned him down. Vesta out of reflex felt her hands flare out, ready to defend at a moments notice when Toothless started licking the Viking all over his face.

Her posture relaxed and she put a hand to her mouth to quiet her laughter as Toothless covered the young man in his spit as Hiccup tried to push the dragon away from him. "Okay, okay. I give. I'll feed you but you have to get off of me."

"Well, that explains the smell." Vesta said as Toothless allowed his rider to stand up to wipe the saliva off of him.

He looked at her with a mischievous smile before saying "Toothless, I think she's feeling a little left out."

Vesta stared at him wide-eyed and held up her hands to the dragon. "Don't even think about it."

The dragon walked forward and licked her right in the face without a second thought causing Hiccup to have his turn to laugh. He saw her bangs were sticking straight up after Toothless moved out of sight with a wide grin on his face and laughed as the girl wiped the saliva from her forehead.

Vesta looked at Hiccup with an annoyed expression before smiling sweetly at him. "I am so getting you back for that."

"I'll hold you to it. Let's head back to get something to eat for right now." Hiccup smirked as he climbed on top of Toothless and held his hand out to her.

Her smile was no longer happy but more a sense of knowing as she said: "We have to go back."

"I have my people and you have your sisters." He stated before smiling softly and making her a promise. "This is only your first flight."

She smiled up at him and didn't say anything as she took his hand. He pulled her up and she didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around him. The moment he knew she was safe and secure, Toothless took off but instead of flying straight across like normal, they went back to the clouds.

"Thanks, bud." Hiccup's voice was soft as he spoke to his dragon companion but he knew Vesta could easily hear him.

She offered no words but instead breathed in her surroundings, taking every second into vivid detail so she could remember the experience. No amount of flying would give her the freedom she desired but the feeling of the wind on her face gave her the chance to pretend that she was someone else.

Someone who didn't have a secret and curse that they couldn't escape.

 *****That's the wrap for chapter six. I felt like it was time for some humor and drama so why not put them in the same chapter? It seems like the four sisters have quite a few secrets that they don't want out in the open. What could they be? I hope to hear what you guys think about this chapter and about the progress of the story so far. Thank you for reading and have a great day!**


	7. Chapter 7- Coming to an Agreement

When Hiccup and Vesta landed in the plaza of Berk exactly an hour after they had left, the young chief was extremely relieved to find all three sisters waiting for their fourth piece to return to them. The sisters all shared the relief of seeing Vesta back safely but the other emotions on their face were very different. Terra's look was somewhere between anger and shock, Skya was happy without a second thought, and Isla stared openly in wonder at Toothless.

Astrid walked over and smiled victoriously as she said: "The sisters agreed that if Vesta returned safe and sound, they would give the dragons a chance with no more complaints."

"All of them?" Vesta asked with an arched eyebrow. Astrid only smiled brighter at the girl and Vesta's gave the Viking female a crooked smile. "Damn your good."

Astrid reached her hands forward to crack her knuckles as she said: "Tell me something I don't know."

Vesta laughed before she saw the Vikings face go from amused and proud to back to the normal glare that she held for the fiery-haired teen. Hiccup arched an eyebrow and started to ask what was wrong when he felt Vesta's hands move out from under his and her arms away from his waist. He hadn't even realized that they had been holding onto each other until Vesta's hands were no longer touching him.

Hiccup couldn't help but notice the strange feeling he got when Vesta jumped off of Toothless and landed on the ground but quickly shook the feeling to the back of his mind. She didn't look at the blonde as she walked to her sisters and put her hands on her hips once she was able to look at all of them.

"Did you miss me?" She asked and Skya reached forward to embrace her sister.

She didn't say anything but the moment Skya let go of Vesta, Terra smacked her in the head. "One of these days I am going to let Astrid push you off the edge of the island and save me from countless headaches in the future."

Vesta never lost her smile as she rubbed her head and said: "Surely you must like me somewhat if you agreed to get to know a dragon in exchange for my safe return."

"I change my mind. He can eat you." Terra's voice sounded angry but it was impossible to miss the smile that was pulling at her lips.

Isla hadn't said anything but was staring in amazement at the Night Fury so Vesta broke away from her older sisters and turned to the youngest. She held out her hand and Isla took it despite the confusion that was all over her face.

Hiccup jumped off of Toothless and went to stand by Astrid, who didn't hide her annoyed expression for a moment but softened up a little when she realized what Vesta was about to attempt. Vesta held her hand out to Toothless, who didn't hesitate to lean into her hand. After her hand stayed on his head for a moment, she let her hand drop to her side.

"Go ahead. It's all about trust. He has to trust you just as much as you have to trust him." Vesta's voice was gentle, something that was rarely heard even by her sister's. She was used to putting on a brave face and not letting people in but she knew that that was not how she was going to teach her sisters to get close to the large reptiles that were a necessity in the lives of the people of Berk.

Isla gave her a smirk as she held out her hand to Toothless. "Says the one who doesn't trust anyone."

"I'm working on it." Vesta couldn't help but cross her arm and smirk at her sister. She bit her lip nervously as she fought the urge to look back at Hiccup, who's eyes were fully set on the teen that had seemed to be unafraid of anything until only moments ago.

"Vesta, are you sure he isn't going to hurt her. I don't think that..." Terra trailed off as Toothless leaned into Isla's touch and the girl jumped nearly a mile at the unfamiliar but oddly comforting feeling of the dragon's scales beneath her hand.

When Toothless's green eyes met Isla's, she felt a wave of calmness come over her. It surprised the Night Fury when she suddenly moved her hand away from the dragon and Terra moved to defend her sister when Vesta held up a hand for her to not move.

"Skya," Isla called to her older sister and gave her a pleading look as she held out her hand. "Please."

Skya bit her lip nervously before shaking her head and saying "I think I'd rather wait a little while. You know, let the dragon get used to one stranger at a time. I don't want to overwhelm him."

"Toothless won't hurt you." Hiccup told the purple-haired girl, who looked at him with a dumbfounded look.

She quickly composed herself and shot him a glare before looking back at her youngest sister with a defeated look. "Fine."

She walked forward and reached her hand out, not needing any further coaxing into the experiment. While Isla had stared into Toothless's eyes the whole time, Skya's storm-colored eyes rested on Vesta's rose-colored ones. When Toothless leaned his head forward and his scales came in contact with Skya's skin, she almost jerked her hand away until the same calm came over her that Isla had felt.

She looked into the dragon's eyes before reaching her other hand up and scratching under his chin. The Night Fury grinned and this caused Skya to give a smile of her own. "He's not so bad after all."

"One of these days you'll learn to listen to Vesta." Isla told her sister with a teasing smile.

When Terra snorted Vesta stuck out her tongue before saying "That would be a miracle."

Vesta hopped over to her eldest sister and gestured to the dragon. "Well?"

Terra looked at the Night Fury before saying "He seems safe enough."

"Terra." Vesta scolded before grabbing her hand. Terra didn't fight but didn't go with her sister willingly either. Skya moved so that Terra could place her hand up for Toothless to move into but both of them stared each other down.

"Then I guess we will do this the hard way." Vesta said with a shrug before gesturing for Toothless to get closer. Only whispers could be heard as she spoke in the dragon's ear and Toothless didn't take his eyes off of the eldest sister.

Astrid looked to Hiccup, her aggravation forgotten for the moment, and asked: "He's not going to do what I think he is, is he?"

"I honestly have no idea." Hiccup didn't take his eyes off of the sisters as he spoke to Astrid and watched cautiously to see what was about to unravel.

Terra leaned her hand out and kept her eyes on the Night Fury as he growled at her hand. He leaned in close and Hiccup began to worry about his friend and the girl as Toothless leaned in close to the girl's friend. His worry was forgotten when the Night Fury stuck his tongue out and licked the girl's hand, coating it in the dragon's saliva enough that it could be seen dripping off of Terra's skin.

Vesta couldn't hold back her laughter as Terra looked completely disgusted. "I didn't say to do that but damn that was great."

Terra stared at her hand horrified before looking at her sister with a serious expression. "Vesta?"

"Yes?" Vesta asked after her laughter finally ceased.

"I'm going to kill you." Terra didn't hesitate before taking off into a run after her sister.

It didn't take Vesta more than a split second before taking off into a run in the opposite direction with her sister hot on her trail. The rest of Hiccup's companions came into view after they had heard the sound of the sisters screaming and had come to investigate what had happened.

Astrid looked to Hiccup with an unamused expression as he laughed at the two sisters running through the village. When he felt her glare, he turned with a teasing smile. "Oh come on, that was great."

"That's not what I'm mad about." She told him as she put a hand on her head. He was as oblivious as ever and this was confirmed when he looked at her confused.

Tuffnut spoke up and asked, "Is he in trouble again?"

"This looks worse than when he didn't notice the betrothal necklace." Ruffnut added with a sly smile.

Snotlout smiled at Astrid and said "You know, he should really count himself lucky. If Astrid were mine, she wouldn't ever have to worry about me looking at another woman. Especially a newcomer."

"That's because you wouldn't be able to look at anything if Vesta caught you staring at her." Tuffnut told the shorter Viking, wiping the smile right off of Snoutlout's face.

Hiccup looked at Vesta and then back at Astrid before saying "I thought they were teasing when they mentioned something about you being jealous of Vesta but now I'm a little concerned."

"So am I." Astrid told him as she crossed her arms over her chest, speaking softly so that the four sisters couldn't hear what she said next. "Hiccup, are you having second thoughts about us?"

Hiccup smiled at her in an attempt to reassure her when said "Astrid, I'm not making promises but I can tell you that I'm not getting attached to them. It won't be long until they leave and we have years behind us."

"You didn't answer my question." Astrid's reply was soft and she took a breath before adding "I don't want to ruin years of friendship, Hiccup. So don't do anything stupid."

Every part of him was screaming for him to tell her that she was wrong and was imagining things but for reasons only Odin knows, he nodded in agreement. Astrid jumped on Stromfly and he watched as the two flew off. He watched her but didn't feel the need to chase her like he would have a few days ago. The feelings were still there but he also felt a need to stay where he was at the same time. He was chief now and he couldn't take off whenever he felt the need to. He had to put the needs of the many above the needs of the few and at that moment, his job was to stay to watch over the four sisters rather than chase his best friend.

While the twins, Snotlout, Hookfang, and Barf and Belch watched the other two sisters join in the playful fight between the sisters, Hiccup lost himself in his thoughts of what he should be feeling and the new emotions that had caused so much conflict.

Fishlegs came to stand by his friend and swallowed nervously as he asked: "Hiccup, you've been in love with Astrid for years but... have things changed?"

"No, that's ridiculous." Hiccup's words were too quick and he ran a hand through his auburn hair nervous before looking at his friend. "Isn't it?"

Fishlegs shrugged before saying "That's your call."

Hiccup let out a frustrated sigh before saying "We've known each other for years. It's not like one person can come in for a day and change that."

"Hiccup, before they showed up the future was pretty much laid out for you. It was easy and simple to follow. You never looked at anyone else, but Vesta... well... she's something else altogether. They all are. They are nothing like anyone else on Berk." Fishlegs spoke to Hiccup but his eyes rested on the blue-haired sister that was giggling next to Skya as Terra messed up Vesta's long hair.

Hiccup bit his lip as he looked at the fiery-haired teen who was oblivious to the trouble she'd unintentionally caused. The fight between the chief and his betrothed wasn't her fault but she was the reason behind it.

Hiccup remembered something suddenly as he looked at his friend and asked: "Has Isla mentioned anything about where they are from or anything about their past?"

"She mentioned something about having to keep a secret is why they can't stay in one place for very long." He told his friend and asked, "Does that mean anything to you?"

Hiccup looked at the four sisters with a troubled expression as he said "Vesta mentioned on the flight that she wanted to leave a piece of her behind. Something's telling me that whatever part she doesn't want is shared between the siblings."

"Should we ask them about it?" Fishlegs asked and Hiccup took his eyes off of the girls to look at his friend.

He was about to reply when Skya's voice was heard. "Ask us what?"

When he turned to look at them, he saw several pairs of eyes staring at him. Hiccup cleared his throat before coming up with a quick and terrible lie as he asked: "Would the four of you like to help out in some area of the village? It would ease the people's mind if you would all spend a little more time out and about helping them when you aren't interacting with the dragons."

Isla draped her arms over Terra and Vesta's shoulders as Skya answered for all of them. "We'd love to. Just tell us where to start."

The twins came up and grabbed Terra's arms, knocking Isla to the ground in the process. Terra looked startled as she looked at the twins and asked: "How do you two contribute to helping to the village exactly?"

"We get on everyone's nerves as much as possible." Tuffnut said with a proud smile.

Ruffnut added quickly "We're really good at it. Plus, it'll help you remove the stick from your butt."

"Actually, I believe that this decision lies with the chief." Valka's voice came from behind Hiccup and he turned to see her and Gobber giving him a look of encouragement. He smiled at his mother in a silent thank you. "Where do you think they are needed, son?"

Hiccup cleared his throat as he looked at Terra. "Would you be content with helping out in the gardens?"

Terra grinned happily before saying "That sounds perfect."

"However," Hiccup stopped her celebrating and looked at the twins with a devious smile. "I do agree with the twins so you'll spend two days a week with them goofing off. Just not too extreme."

"I can live with that." She told him with a smile.

Skya looked at him with an eager smile and he shrugged before saying "Would you mind helping out with grooming the dragons?"

"I'd be glad to help." She couldn't hide her smile at the news and it was easy to tell that she couldn't wait to get started.

"Gobber, would you be okay with Isla helping you out in the forge?" Hiccup asked and Gobber looked at him stunned.

"Lad, did the red-haired girl hit you in the head?" Gobber asked and Isla blushed, slightly embarrassed at the Vikings reaction.

Hiccup rolled his eyes before saying "You thought the same thing when dad told you to teach me."

"You proved to be a giant pain in the ass just like I assumed you would be." Gobber said with an amused grin.

Valka laughed as she elbowed her old friend in the ribs. "It seemed to do you both some good so perhaps it will do the same for Isla."

"Well, it can't be any worse than you setting fire to the whole village and breaking a bridge in one night." Gobber shrugged before smiling at the girl.

She smiled back and looked at Vesta as she said: "I promise not to set fire to the village. I'm actually really good at putting them out. I kind of had to learn how to in a hurry."

Her sisters looked at her in shock but quickly composed themselves as Hiccup looked at Vesta with a contemplating look. Vesta smiled before saying "It's okay. I know, I'm going to help Gothi with the herbs and whatever else she needs help with."

She was about to walk to Gothi's house when Hiccup startled her. "You can do that in your spare time. I want your help training the Dragon Explorers."

"Sure, no problem." Vesta hesitantly agreed until she saw the twins and Snotlout's nervous expressions. "Why do I have the feeling I'm missing something?"

Valka laughed before saying "I hope you like children."

"Wait." Vesta looked at Hiccup with a terrified expression. "Kids? As in tiny human beings? Did I hit you in the head and forget about it while we were flying?"

Hiccup laughed before saying "No. You are the one that the village trusts the least and the best way to improve that is giving you a job teaching the future generations of Berk how to defend themselves. It'll also give you the chance to learn more about the dragons."

"Vesta?" Skya asked and had a troubled look on her face.

Isla mirrored this expression as she asked: "With kids?"

"And Astrid." Gobber added.

Terra put a hand to her face before saying "This is a terrible idea."

"For once, I agree with Terra." Vesta said as she looked at Hiccup. "You're insane... and an ass."

"I just want Berk to be peaceful. This is the best way I can think of." Hiccup told her and she could sense that there was something he wasn't telling her.

She fought the urge to ask him what it was that he was keeping a secret but decided against it, not wanting him to ask her the same question in return. Instead, she sighed and made her decision. "Okay. The least I can do is trust you after everything you've done for us."

Hiccup smiled and the relief was clear in his eyes as he stared at her. It was clear that she wasn't thrilled about the decision but she was willing to give it a chance and that was the best he could hope for.

"It's getting late so I'll let you guys get some rest. We'll start first thing tomorrow." He told her and she nodded before she and her sisters made their way back to the twins' home. While it was only midday, the riders and the sisters all felt more than exhausted from the days events so no one argued at the suggestion to turn in early.

"We aren't really the right people to ask but..." Ruffnut started but trailed off.

Tuffnut finished her sentence by saying "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"I'm sure everything will work out fine." Fishlegs said trying to ease his friends worry.

Snotlout snorted and said, "I can't wait until Astrid hears about this."

With that being the final thought his friends left him with, he turned to go home. Valka put a reassuring hand on her son's cheek as she said "If you think with your head and your heart, you won't go wrong. Wait and see how this plays out before you regret your decision, son."

"Absolutely. Go clear your head. We'll keep a watch on things here." Gobber said and Hiccup didn't ask questions.

"Ready, bud?" He asked Toothless and the Night Fury grinned in response before leaning down to eye level and licking Hiccup's face.

Hiccup wiped the dragon's saliva off but returned the smile before jumping on Toothless's back, placing his prosthetic leg where it needed to be and Toothless's fake tail flared out. Toothless didn't wait a moment longer once he knew his rider was secured that they took to the skies. The freedom that the flight brought was something that had been the greatest bond between Hiccup and Toothless. It was the one thing they would always have. That, and each other.

 *****That makes another chapter complete. I was watching Race to the edge while writing this and I had planned on this chapter being a bit shorter but the more I watched, the more I wanted to write. Well... I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thank you for reading. Have a great day!**


	8. Chapter 8- Learning

It had been two weeks since the agreement between the sisters and the dragon riders had been official. Hiccup had been busy helping the people and had been unable to even think of teaching the Dragon Explorers until today. Hiccup leaned against Toothless and was at a cross between if he would rather be running ragged with his duties or teaching the young Dragon Explorers. He knew that this was one of the jobs that everyone dreaded except Astrid and Fishlegs. They were natural with kids and he'd thought of offering them the full responsibility of teaching the Dragon Explorers but had dismissed the thought when he reminded himself that he wasn't the only one who had other responsibilities. So the teaching of the children had been split equally among the six friends and, occasionally, Gobber.

Thankfully, there were only three of them but they had caused a lot of trouble back on the Edge and Hiccup wasn't about to forget it. They hated listening as it was and had picked up a few bad habits from the twins. Hiccup wished that they would have taken after Fishlegs a little more but dismissed the thought when he reminded himself that Fishlegs was only their uncle. They may have been a little older but not enough to make them any easier to handle. Still, they were the future of Berk and they needed to learn everything they could to keep the peace between dragons and humans.

"Should I be concerned or are the kids just late?" Vesta called and pulled him out of his thoughts.

He turned to see her in her training gear from the day before only this time, she was actually smiling. Toothless growled a welcome to the girl while Hiccup walked over to meet her.

He laughed before saying "They usually are. I'm actually surprised you are on time considering how much of a fight you put up yesterday."

"Kids aren't my specialty but if I say I'm going to do something, I usually follow through on it without a second thought." She said as she walked past the chief and over to Toothless.

Toothless leaned forward to lick her face and Hiccup was surprised when she didn't lean away. He did notice that her red and gold hair was pulled back all the way so that the dragon's saliva didn't make her hair stand up. She touched her forehead to his for a moment before looking back at the chief.

She was giving him a questioning look and Hiccup finally asked: "What is it?"

"I've heard a few rumors about you." She told him flatly.

He came to stand in front of her so that only a little bit of space was between them. "Care to tell me what they are so I can set the record straight?"

She smiled before turning and walking to the arena. She put her arms up and waited until he stood next to her to say "I don't listen to rumors, Hiccup. I just have one question."

"Ask away." He put his arms up next to her but left enough distance where they wouldn't touch. He didn't let it show on his face just how terrified he was to hear the question but he could tell that, somehow, she saw right through him.

She smiled sweetly before asking "Why did you go against everything your people taught and risk your life to help Toothless?"

Toothless touched his nose to Hiccup's back at the mention of his name but he didn't turn to look at his companion. Instead, he continued to stare down into the arena. Memories of the argument with his father when he had refused to kill the dragon in the ring, his first flight with Astrid, the loss of his leg, and teaching the people of Berk how to ride the dragons flooded his mind.

Vesta placed her hand over Hiccup's, concern filling her when he didn't say anything for a long time. He turned to face her, shock written in his eyes from the simple touch of her hand but he didn't dare to move away from her. He wanted to say that it was because he wanted to show that he trusted her, that it was nothing more than habit, anything to distract him from the truth of just how natural it felt.

He hoped that his smile covered up his emotions as he told her "I was always kind of different and wasn't ever really liked so going against what everyone said was just in my nature. After I shot down Toothless and he didn't kill me, I knew there had to be more to the dragons than what we knew. It took a while but after bonding with Toothless, I knew that we had been wrong about everything."

"Not very well liked, different, and rebellious? Sounds kind of familiar." Vesta smirked at him before adding "So... just like that. Everyone went from generations of fighting with the dragons to them being essentials?"

"Well, not exactly. It took some time, several fights, an epic battle, and a lost limb to get everyone to attempt to get to know the dragons but I decided I would leave out the boring details." Hiccup shrugged as he finished the statement and was surprised as Vesta began to laugh.

Between giggles, she managed to say "Well, I appreciate the gesture."

He let out a light chuckle of his own, her unexpected laughter contagious to him. He couldn't stop himself from saying "I like your laugh."

"It's funny." She told him as she looked back into the arena. "I've laughed more here than I think I have in my entire life."

Hiccup's expression turned solemn as he was taking in the piece of information. "Can I ask you something?"

"Ask me anything besides the question that's in your eyes, Hiccup." She told him and only then did her hand leave his, throwing her walls back up and hiding her emotions from him.

He bit his lip nervously as he stared into her rosy pink eyes. He finally took a calming breath and just decided to get it over with. "Why didn't you ever fit in? It's human nature to flock to beautiful people so I can't imagine you having problems."

She looked at him surprised and blushed as he realized what he'd let slip. He cleared his throat and heard Toothless laugh behind them as the dragon sensed his riders embarrassment. He ran a hand nervously through his hair as he avoided her eyes by looking into the arena.

Vesta couldn't help but repeat what he'd said to be sure that she'd heard him right. "Beautiful?"

"Answer the question, Vesta." His soft voice and nervous smile made it apparent that he was flustered by his own actions.

She decided to take pity on him and answered his question as direct as she could. "My sisters and I are like everyone else except for one thing. That one detail is the reason we don't have a place to call home and why we don't stay anywhere for long."

"Vesta." He called softly and when she looked into his green eyes, she knew he wasn't hiding anything from her. "Berk is home to you and your sisters as long as you wish. The safety of the people on this island is my first priority and if you let it, that includes you and your sisters."

She let out a shaky breath as a look of sorrow filled her eyes and she looked down. "That's what you don't understand. My first priority is my sisters' safety. These traits that make us different also make us lethal."

"I trust you." He told her without a second thought.

She looked up at him with an unamused smile before saying "I don't trust myself. What makes you think you can?"

He turned away from her and walked until he was standing next to Toothless, who had been watching the two humans react carefully to each other's every word. The Night Fury noticed how his rider looked more at ease with this particular human than he ever had around anyone else.

Hiccup held his hand up and Toothless immediately leaned his head into the human's hand. "Everyone deserves a chance. Toothless taught me that."

"How can you just give someone a chance without knowing anything about them?" She asked, frustration clear in her voice.

"The same way you and your sisters will." He told her as he turned away from Toothless. The Night Fury kept a curious eye on the rider as the young chief extended his hand to the fiery-haired girl. "By learning that things aren't always what they seem."

Despite her instincts screaming at her, Vesta took his hand and surprised them both when she moved closer to him. Hiccup reached up to place her hand on the back of Toothless's neck before dropping his own by his side and Toothless knew what his rider was trying to show her. Without a second thought, the dragon let his spines be seen and flapped them at the girl, causing her to nearly jump away from the dragon.

"That was a secret that we learned from my mom. Makes tight turns a lot easier to handle." Hiccup told her with a laugh as he watched the girl who was hard to surprise, jump as the dragon's hidden feature was revealed.

She dropped her hand and turned to make a witty retort but lost her train of thought when she realized how close they were. She had been standing in front of him while he'd placed her hand on Toothless and when she'd turned, they were only a breath away from each other. She looked up into his green eyes, seeing that his eyes spoke untold stories of adventure and wisdom while in his smile, she saw the mischievousness of a child. She had the strange feeling of wanting to know what else she could see in him if she were given the time but shook the thought away as quickly as it had appeared.

"Hiccup..." She started but was unsure of what she wanted to say. She was at war with the idea of pushing him away and wanting him to be closer to her, to let someone in, and to have someone see her for who she was and accept her. She shook the thought away and cleared her throat, hoping that he would get the hint to move away from her before either of them did something stupid.

Hiccup gave her an uneasy smiled as he moved so that he was standing in front of Toothless, the Night Fury looking at him questioningly. He didn't take a step as Vesta walked down into the arena but his eyes watched her until she was out of sight.

Toothless nudged the rider with his head before softly grumbling. Hiccup looked at his friend and asked with a worried expression "What do you think she is hiding that's so bad, bud?"

The Night Fury blinked at Hiccup before licking his face, not liking the worried look that was there. This worked as the rider laughed as he wiped away the dragon's spit. The sound of kids brought him back to reality and he groaned quietly as he saw the three young Vikings make their way over to him and Toothless. The only highlight was when he saw Fishlegs and Meatlug with them.

"I thought you were helping Isla out around the forge?" Hiccup called as he walked to his friend. The children rushed passed him and went straight to Toothless, not caring anything about the conversation between their uncle and the chief. Meatlug made her way over to the dragon and growled a greeting to him as she watched the children climb onto the back of the Night Fury.

"Actually, I wanted to run something by you. The twins and I were talking about maybe moving the next race to tomorrow?" He suggested and Hiccup was surprised. Not that Fishlegs wanted the race moved up, but that he and the twins of all people had discussed it.

He arched an eyebrow at his friend as he asked "The twins?"

Fishlegs looked sheepish before running a hand through his hair and saying "It would be a good way for the girls to get to see the dragons in action."

"I'm sure it would. I'm sure Isla would love to see that." Hiccup called Fishlegs on his bluff and knew that his suspicions were confirmed when the Viking blushed.

Fishlegs cleared his throat before saying "What do you say?"

Hiccup shrugged before giving his friend a sincere smile. "I don't see why not. Maybe it'll even convince Terra to lighten up a bit."

Fishlegs beamed with excitement as he said "Thanks, Hiccup. I owe you one."

"I think I'm going to take you up on that one. Right now, actually." Hiccup said and the large Viking laughed as his chief gestured to the kids.

He nodded and said, "If you can show them some quick moves with Inferno, I'll take over."

"Sure." Hiccup agreed before walking down to the arena. Toothless raced after his rider with the three children on his back and the rider smirked at his companion.

Vesta was sharpening her dagger when she heard Fishlegs and the sound of giggling children. She sheathed her daggers in her boots before walking to the group of Vikings and dragons. "Hey, I was wondering if you'd gotten lost."

The three young children looked at the girl with wide eyes. They'd all seen her around the Village but unlike her sisters, Vesta wasn't the easiest to approach. Yet here she was, smiling in greeting to the three children.

"Vesta, this is Shrug, Brenda, and Brant. My niece and nephews. Guys, this is Vesta." He introduced them and the girl smiled in greeting.

The two boys looked her over and were surprised to see that the girl was not the hideous creature that Astrid had described. Brenda decided to speak her thoughts about the newcomer and said: "You aren't anything like Astrid said you were."

"Or Snotlout." Brant added. Shrug didn't say anything but only nodded in agreement with the other two.

Hiccup put his hand to his head when Vesta laughed lightly. "I'll take that as a compliment. After all, no one paints people they don't particularly like in a favorable way. What are we going over today?"

"We've had a slight change in plans." Hiccup told her and she arched an eyebrow. "We're going to show them a few defensive moves and then I have a few things that I have to tend to. I'm sure Gothi will be more than happy to have you with her."

Vesta pulled her daggers out and eagerly said: "Let's get to it then."

Hiccup looked at the small daggers with hesitation. He knew that she could fair well against Snotlout's hammer but handling that and the flames of his sword was an entirely different matter. "You may want to choose something else."

She didn't move from her defensive pose as she looked at him questioningly. "Hiccup, these are the only weapons I use if I can help it. Now, let's get started."

Hiccup was about to argue when the girl threw one of her daggers at him. It landed between his foot and prosthetic leg, burying itself to the hilt in the dirt just as she had done with Snotlout. He pulled the Dragon Blade from its sheath and extended the blade before. Vesta watched as the sword began to glow with fire and found herself hesitant as she stared at the device. Fear was the last thing she felt but that didn't stop her from hesitating.

He went to strike with the blade and Vesta's instincts awoke in time for her to dodge out of the way. She smiled at Hiccup as she landed with one knee bent. The moment she saw an opening, she dove after her other dagger and crossed the daggers so that when Hiccup went to strike, the hilt of his sword hit her blades and stopped the blade from coming any closer.

She saw her opening and as he was letting up, she kicked his legs out from under him. The moment she went to get the upper hand on him, he kicked her back and quickly sprang to his feet. She regained her balance after a moment and leaned forward to knock his sword out of his hand but he quickly countered the move and one of her daggers went flying. She didn't have time to retrieve it before he went to knock the other out of her hand and she did the only thing she could think of.

She used her hand that wasn't holding the dagger to grab the hilt of his sword and keep it from hitting her weapon. Hiccup watched in horror as the flame touched her arm but was surprised when she didn't show any emotion. She was about to lean in for another attack when the flame cut off and retracted the blade. He placed the weapon back in the sheath and Vesta looked at him confused.

"Are you okay?" She asked with concern as fear etched across his features. She turned away and walked over to retrieve her, not thinking anything of him following her until she turned to see him towering over her.

"You didn't even get close to cutting me. We need to get you to Gothi so she can treat your burns." He told her as he extended his hand to examine her burns.

She quickly jerked her arm away before saying "You didn't burn me. The sword didn't even touch me. I'm fine."

"Vesta, I saw the flames touch your arm when you went to knock it out of my hand. You don't have to..." He trailed off as he grabbed her arm and saw no trace of burns on her pale skin.

He looked up from her arm to her face to see her comforting smile. "I told you, I'm fine."

He didn't let go of her arm and looked up at her with a questioning look in his eyes. He was only pulled back to reality by one of the children saying "That was awesome!"

The two looked over to see that Brant was the one who had spoken while the other kids sat with their mouths open in amazement. They jumped off of Toothless as the dragon walked over with Fishlegs to the newcomer and chief. When the children tried to follow their uncle, Meatlug growled out a warning and the kids decided quickly that it would be better for them to let the adults talk.

The moment Fishlegs joined them, Vesta took this as the opportunity to leave the arena and quickly said: "Well, I'll let you boys discuss whatever you need to and go meet Gothi."

"Are you sure your okay?" Hiccup called after her while Fishlegs stared at them with a confused look.

Vesta didn't stop in her run or look over her shoulder as she called back "I'm fine."

As soon as she was out of sight, Fishlegs looked to Hiccup and asked: "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. I'll talk to mom and arrange to set up the race for tomorrow. Right now, I'm going to see who needs help around the village. See you in the hall." Hiccup told his friend and Fishlegs didn't get to respond before Hiccup jumped on Toothless's back and the two flew out of the arena and took off to see Valka.

Hiccup flew over to see Vesta walking up the stairs to Gothi's but quickly looked up and made his way back to his home, deciding to take today's events out of his mind as much as he could and focus on the race tomorrow.

Today's questions could always be answered tomorrow but right now he had to put his duty as chief above his curiosity.

 *****Well, that's chapter eight. I hope you guys are enjoying the story and wanted to say thank you for the favorites and follows! Have a great day!**


	9. Chapter 9- The Race

As the people of Berk gathered around to watch the dragon race, Astrid was the one to notice that a specific pair of eyes wasn't in the crowd of onlookers. She didn't like the owner of the eyes but she would rather keep her in sight. Her sisters were present and watching their every move so this gave Astrid the comfort of knowing that she wouldn't be far. It also gave her a small amount of comfort to know that Gothi was missing as well and, for whatever reason, the rose-eyed foreigner had taken a liking to the elder.

Astrid looked over at Hiccup, who had a very calm expression on his face but didn't seem to be as attentive to the race as normal. She cleared her throat and the blonde pulled him back to reality. When he turned to look at her, she couldn't help but ask "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine." He told her with a reassuring smile before looking out to the three sisters and losing his smile. He put a hand on Toothless like he was about to jump on the back of the dragon but the rest of him stayed perfectly still.

Barf and Belch growled as Tuffnut and Ruffnut jumped onto the necks of the beast. Tuffnut looked at the chief and asked: "So where's your lady friend?"

Astrid leaned against Stormfly's side as she shot Tuffnut a glare. She wasn't stupid and could see that there was chemistry between Hiccup and Vesta but she knew him well enough that she was certain that Hiccup would never approach the girl with more than friendship until he and Astrid met their end. If Astrid could help it, that wouldn't happen and he'd never get the chance. Though it wasn't something she wanted, Astrid could handle a breakup. As she looked at Hiccup, she knew that she just wanted him to be happy and she hoped that it would still be with her.

Hiccup glared at Tuffnut before growling "She's not my lady friend, she's just a friend. I think."

"I thought she was the one who was all about seeing the dragons in action. So where is she?" Ruffnut asked with an exasperated sigh as she propped her arms on Barf's head.

Fishleg's didn't take his eyes off of Meatlug as he said: "Isla said that she'd be here shortly. She said that she was helping Gothi with something."

"Does anyone else find her weird? Who comes to an island full of fierce Vikings and chooses to spend most of their time with an old lady?" Snotlout asked and Tuffnut snickered at the man's joke.

Ruffnut let out a chuckle before saying "You shouldn't be surprised that she's strange. She bonded with Hiccup after she spent time with the old lady."

"What does that mean exactly?" Hiccup asked and didn't hide his annoyed expression.

Tuffnut snorted before telling the young chief: "She has terrible taste in people. The sisters are living with us but Vesta spends all of her time with Gothi, you, and Toothless... for whatever reason."

"For some reason, I thought you three would lighten up on the teasing after I became chief." Hiccup said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh please." Snotlout snorted. "That's like thinking Astrid would quit punching you after you guys got betrothed."

Astrid punched him in the arm as if on cue before laughing and saying: "I've been doing that for years and will continue to do so until the day I die. How else do you expect me to keep him in line?"

Hiccup laughed before looking at his mother standing where his father once stood during the races. She smiled proudly at her son as she stood next to Cloudjumper and Hiccup felt a small tug at his heart at not seeing his father next to her. He was thankful that he'd found his mother but there was a hole in his heart that would never heal now that his father was gone.

"He'd be proud of you, Hiccup." Fishlegs told his best friend, knowing where his mind was as he looked to Valka.

Hiccup let out a small laugh before jumping on Toothless's back, the dragon looking up at his rider with a grin. He pat Toothless on the head before looking to his friend. "I'm glad you think so."

Astrid gave him a reassuring look before jumping onto Stormfly's back. "Are you ready?"

Hiccup looked out at the crowd one last time and when he didn't see the elder or the girl, he gave his mother the cue to start the race. She nodded before holding out a hand and asked the riders "Are you ready?"

"Prepare to eat my dust!" Tuffnut yelled at his sister.

She snorted before saying "Not if you eat mine first!"

"It's the same dragon!" Fishlegs told them while Meatlug rolled her eyes. The twins exchanged a look before laughing at each other while Barf and Belch looked less than amused.

Astrid leaned forward and Stormfly watched Valka hold up the bright purple flag, waiting for her to drop it so that the dragons could take off. Hiccup threw his head into the race and shared a smile with Toothless as the Night Fury let out a growl of anticipation.

Hookfang growled and Snotlout looked to where Valka was standing with a smirk. "Well, it's about damn time."

The riders all turned to look where Valka stood and saw Gothi standing with her staff and Vesta sat in the grass close by. Her eyes were gleaming with excitement even though her smile was relatively calm and her red-blonde hair was touching the grass. She knew that her sisters were watching and that this race was the perfect opportunity for them to decide whether the dragons and humans were as well of a match as they seemed to be.

Valka waved the purple flag once more and the riders' eyes all turned back to her. The dragons all growled to let her know that they were ready to take off and the riders leaned forward in anticipation.

"Let the race begin!" Valka said and dropped the flag as her husband had done several times in the past.

The girls didn't have time to blink before the dragons took off and dove for a sheep in sight at full speed. Vesta watched in horror as Stormfly's talons extended as she dove for the animal. She waited for the dragon's talons to pierce the animal's body but felt relief when something dark quickly dove in the direction and the next thing she saw was that the sheep was in Hiccup's arms.

A few gasps came from the crowds but all Vesta was able to hear clearly was Gobber as he said: "Oh she's going to get him for that one."

"He seems to be showing off a bit." Valka didn't hide her amused tone or her smile.

Gothi looked to the redhaired girl next to her and poked her with a stick to get her attention. The girl looked up at the elder with curious eyes and watched as Gothi gestured to the sheep and then a row of nets with symbols above them.

Vesta was confused until what Gothi was saying clicked in her mind. "The goal of the race is to get as many sheep into the net as possible?"

Gobber let out an amused laugh as he realized why the girl had looked horrified only a moment ago. "They didn't explain the rules of the race to you, lass?"

"Not exactly.." She said and looked at her sisters' amused expressions. "Apparently I'm the only one who didn't get the memo."

Valka gave the girl an apologetic look before saying "What did you think the rules were?"

"The twins said that the sheep were mauled on contact and the goal was to see who could maul the most sheep in the shortest amount of time." She confessed and turned to Gothi before saying "I'm glad to see that they were joking. I can't stand the sight."

Gobber laughed outright before stopping to say "The twins are known for their pranks, girlie. I wouldn't listen to a word they said. Oh, and watch out for them on Loki Day."

"Gobber." Valka scolded lightly but was unable to hold back her smile. "Sven wouldn't allow his prize sheep to be slaughtered for the fun of it. I am curious though. If you object to the slaughter and didn't know the truth, why did you come to the race?"

Vesta shrugged as she leaned in closer to watch Hiccup thrown the sheep into the net. She then laughed lightly before saying "Hiccup said that it would be a good way for my sisters to see that the dragons could be trusted."

Valka smiled and didn't say another word to the girl. Gobber walked up to his longtime friend and said soft enough that only Valka could hear "They are getting awfully close."

"That's a discussion for later. Right now, I'm curious to see who wins the race." She told her friend and then looked in time to see Fishlegs throw one of the sheep into the net. "It seems everyone is giving it their all."

"For good reason." Gobber gestured to the blue haired girl that was cheering loudly in the crowd with a smile.

Astrid rode closely to Hiccup before saying "That's the only sheep your getting this race."

"I beg to differ." The chief told her with a smirk and Toothless growled his laughter before they dove for another sheep that Astrid hadn't seen in the midst of her teasing.

The Night Fury soared back to the net and tossed the sheep into the net with the other and Hiccup heard the cheers coming from the crowd but there was only one face who's reaction he wanted to see. His emerald eyes met the forest green eyes of the eldest sister and when he looked at her expression, he could see her smiling brightly.

"I'll get you one, Astrid." Snotlout called and gave her a flirty smile. "After all, that's the kind of thing a real man does for his woman."

Astrid nudged Stormfly and the Deadly Nadder shot a few spikes in his direction. None hit the duo but it was enough to get the point across. "I'm not your woman."

"I'm not giving up until your married." Snotlout told her and once he spotted a sheep, he dove after it. He was smiling victoriously until the twins swooped in and stuck their tongues out at him as they stole the sheep right out from under Snotlout and Hookfang. He yelled back and said "Really? Stealing another man's sheep?"

The twins then unashamedly threw the sheep in their net while Tuffnut yelled: "Stop trying to flirt with Astrid and pay attention then."

"Especially when she's already taken." Ruffnut's voice followed with disapproval.

Snotlout rolled his eyes as he said "Taken isn't married. There is still time for her to see that I'm the man for her. Especially now that the chief is so preoccupied."

Two sheep came into Snotlout's view and he was confident in his ability to get both of them. That is until Meatlug grabbed up the closest one and the other disappeared. Upon further investigation, Snotlout saw that Toothless and Hiccup were the captors of the other sheep.

Hiccup shot him a glare but decided the race was not the right time to pick a fight with his cousin. He threw his head in the game but smiled as he watched Astrid throw two sheep into her net. She gave him a mischievous smile before looking at Valka, who had all of her attention on the girl beside Gothi.

Gothi drew something on the ground and Vesta laughed causing Valka to smile at the two. Astrid could see that for whatever reason, Hiccup's mother had taken a liking to the foreigner right off and this spurred a touch of jealousy in Astrid. She then noticed that Gobber was missing, which could only mean one thing.

"The black sheep!" Hiccup and Astrid said in unison before stopping and waiting for the sheep to come into view.

The twins flew next to them and smiled happily. Ruffnut tossed one of her braids over her back before saying "That sheep is as good as ours."

"I don't think so." Fishlegs said and the competitiveness in his voice was a shock to his friends but none of them thought much about this.

Snotlout gestured with his hands to his net as he said "I haven't even gotten a sheep. How am I supposed to be impressive if I don't score?"

"By growing a personality?" Astrid suggested.

"By getting some skills?" Tuffnut added.

"By not being you," Ruffnut stated.

Hiccup laughed lightly before suggesting "By getting your head out of your ass long enough to accomplish something."

Fishlegs then looked to Snotlout and asked: "Who are you trying to impress?"

"Well if I can't get Astrid's attention, then we have four really hot babes that are definitely single and need a taste of the Snot." He told them gesturing to his body. He turned and saw that the sisters had all gathered close to Gothi and blew them a kiss.

Terra's face was of pure disgust, Isla looked past Snotlout to wave to Fishlegs, and Skya smiled at Tuffnut. Vesta was the only one to give a verbal response and couldn't stop herself from saying "Not a chance."

She then gave a gesture and Hookfang reared back and connected his head with Snotlout's. The Viking rubbed his head before asking "What was that for and since when do you listen to anyone?"

The dragon growled his response and then Gobber yelled "Final points! The black sheep is worth ten and this decides who wins!"

"Consider yourselves losers!" Ruffnut called to the group.

Gobber then released the handle and the black sheep went soaring into the air. There was a protesting baaing as the sheep went into the air and the dragons dove after him. The only sound that was distinguishable from the sounds of the dragons growling and the crowd cheering was Sven frantically yelling, "Don't hurt my sheep!"

Isla jumped a mile when Snotlout and Hookfang nearly collided with Meatlug and Fishlegs but the larger Viking quickly maneuvered so that Hookfang soared past them. Fishlegs looked back to the cyan-haired girl and gave her an apologetic look when he saw the fear in her eyes.

"Who needs to get their head in the game now?" Snotlout yelled and was abruptly hit on the head from above.

He rubbed his head when he saw Ruffnut hanging upside down and the twins yelled: "Still you!"

The twins dove and swooped up the black sheep but when they turned to go back to the net, they began to argue.

Ruffnut yelled at her brother "It's my turn to throw it in the net!"

"But your aim is terrible!" Tuffnut yelled back and Ruffnut punched him in the face.

Astrid jumped down and ran up the dragons back before grabbing the sheep between them and jumping down as she said "Sorry guys!"

She landed on Stormfly and heard the twins argument start to fade behind her as their speed increased. She could see the net in view and tossed the sheep once they were close enough. It had just barely left her hands when Toothless soared past her and Hiccup grabbed the sheep. The moment they flew over their net, he dropped the sheep in and cheers broke out amongst the crowd.

Toothless let out a blast of fire towards the sky in celebration before they came back to where his mother was standing. The moment Hiccup dismounted the dragon, Gobber came over and smacked the young man on the back saying "Congrats, Chief."

Valka had her arms crossed over her chest as she said "I haven't seen you so competitive in the races since I've come here. Any reason for the sudden change?"

Hiccup didn't get the chance to answer before Isla squealed with excitement. He turned and saw her run up to Fishlegs with a bright smile. "That was incredible. I mean I knew you guys were good but that was amazing."

Hiccup watched Fishlegs turn red and then Isla looked at Meatlug and scratched her chin as she said: "You were incredible, girl."

Skya walked over to the twins with a bit of a nervous glint in her eyes as she looked at Tuffnut. "You were pretty impressive out there."

"Thanks, we do our best," Ruffnut said with a smile that made Skya bite her lip.

Tuffnut smiled at the girl before draping an arm over his sister's shoulder and saying "All in a day's work."

"You might have had a chance to win... if you didn't argue." Skya's words made Tuffnut smirk a bit and he cleared his throat before shoving his sister to the side.

"We're working on that." He told her before gesturing to Belch and Barf. "Would you like to come with me and my sister on a ride so you can see us work together?"

Ruffnut looked at him confused before a sneaky smile crossed her features. "Yeah, we don't mind a bit."

"Well... I don't know." Skya hesitated but only when she turned to her sister with a cautious look did the twins understand why.

Terra glared back at Isla before taking a breath and saying "Go for it. Just come back in one piece."

Skya smiled victoriously and the moment Tuffnut reached his hand out to her, she took it and was pulled onto the back of his saddle. The twins didn't give her time to change her mind and flew off with the girl.

Valka smiled and didn't take her eyes off of the trio as she told her son: "They seem to be coming around sure enough. Most of them at least."

"I'm still not sure what to do about Terra. She dislikes everyone too much to even try to give us a chance, let alone the dragons." Hiccup told his mother and she put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

He turned to stare into her soft blue eyes and she had a smile of comfort. "She'll come around."

He saw Terra's look of disapproval deepen when Isla jumped on the back of Meatlug and flew off with Fishlegs. Vesta walked over to her sister and they shared an intense look before she shrugged and began to walk over to them.

Hiccup couldn't hide his shock when Vesta walked past both him and Toothless to go straight to Gobber. She pulled him down and whispered in his ear. Hiccup knew from the sound of his laughter that it was nothing good.

"Are you sure, lass?" He asked her and she nodded.

She then walked past them again as Astrid and Snotlout landed with their dragons on either side of Toothless. The dragons looked at the girl confused and Stormfly tensed as Astrid watched Vesta approach her sister. "Well, what do you say you go flying with Gobber?"

"You truly have lost your mind, haven't you?" Terra asked and Vesta only shrugged as she looked at Gobber and Grump. Terra sighed in defeat before saying "Fine."

"Actually, I have a better idea," Gobber said and Vesta looked at him curiously. He then went to a very nice looking Viking and dragged him up there. "This is Eret. He'd love to take you for a flight. It'll be a learning experience for you both."

Eret gave the woman a gentle smile as he held out his hand to her. "I'd love to but only if the lady wishes."

Terra was wide-eyed as she took in the Viking and Vesta knew that no matter how much Terra hated the idea of flying, her curiosity was now going to get the better of her. She looked back to Vesta with a curious look in her eyes. "Fly? As in close to the clouds?"

Vesta, being Vesta, didn't take her sister's skepticism seriously and told her "He's cute so I don't see how you can pass up the opportunity."

Terra glared at her sister before saying "I will be getting payback."

She then turned back to Eret, who had a charming grin spreading across his features as he helped her onto Skullcrusher. He then jumped up in front of her and took her hands to put them on his chest. "You'll want to hold on."

Terra almost let herself smile but shook it off as the dragon took to the skies to join the others. Vesta then gave Gobber a questioning look before saying "I didn't just send my sister off with someone that could possibly get her killed, right?"

"No, lass. I figured that since Terra is kind of skittish around the dragons, she and the newest member of the tribe would get along great and maybe learn together." Gobber told her with a proud smile at his plan.

Vesta was still slightly confused and asked: "How so?"

Valka watched them take off but then turned to Vesta to answer her. "He used to be a dragon trapper. He just needed some convincing."

"Makes sense," Vesta said with a shrug, accepting the woman's answer with ease.

Valka then turned to the girl with a teasing smile. "I do hope you didn't just send your sister off and not plan on joining her."

"Not a chance, ma'am." She told Valka respectively. She then walked over to Hiccup and held out her hand. "Care to help a girl to the clouds?"

Hiccup could feel Astrid's glare on his back as well as Toothless's curious eyes to see what his human was going to do next. While Gobber shook his head in disagreement, his mother gave him an encouraging smile and that was all it took. Hiccup managed to surprise even himself when he jumped on Toothless's back and grabbed Vesta's hand to pull her up with him. He was about to tell her to hold on when she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his back. Toothless heard the click when Hiccup's fake leg got into place to spread the fin of the tail and took off without a second thought.

Snotlout and Hookfang came up beside the Viking female and looked at her surprised before asking: "Are you going to let them show you up?"

With those words, Stormfly was on Toothless's tail with Hookfang following her quickly. The dragons didn't hesitate to launch off of the cliff and felt a euphoria wash over them as the breeze filled them with a sense of freedom. The riders had very similar feelings as they soared upward and the clouds grew closer, the salty smell of the sea filling their noses.

When they met the other riders, Vesta could see that none of her sisters were terrified anymore and it filled her with a relief that didn't think she would know. The lack of trust in their eyes made Hiccup uneasy and he placed a hand over Vesta's before saying "They are going to hate every minute of this if they don't trust the dragons, or at least us."

"Anything I can help with?" Vesta's answer nearly put him into shock but he managed to compose himself long enough to try to think of a plan. Then the perfect thought occurred.

"Do you trust Toothless?" He whispered as he put his hands over Vesta's. She only nodded and he swallowed the lump in his throat before asking "Do you trust me?"

Vesta thought about this for a moment but knew the answer without a second of hesitation.

"Yes."

 *****So... I have to say that it has been a rough week so it took me longer than I would have liked to write this chapter. I hope it was worth the wait though and I look forward to hopefully hearing what you all have to say about it. Either way, thank you for reading and I hope you all enjoyed it!**


	10. Chapter 10- Extreme Trust

Terra felt herself beginning to relax as she kept her arms secured around Eret. The Viking hadn't been nearly as awful to ride with as she'd expected and she almost felt comfortable around him. She was curious about one small detail that had bothered her since they took flight.

"The large Viking missing limbs told Vesta that he thought you and I would get along well. Why is that?" She asked and her forest green eyes stared into his amber ones as she waited for his response.

He looked over his shoulder to smile at the dark haired brunette and her curious eyes. "I was a dragon trapper before I met the chief. He... managed to show me that the dragons weren't as awful as I'd originally thought."

Terra could tell that there was more to the story than he was telling her but she didn't press for answers. She wasn't bold enough to ask him to elaborate and she didn't want to seem pushy either. She placed her hand on the large dragons side as she asked: "How did you come to choose this dragon?"

"I didn't actually." He placed his hand on the dragons head as the soft breeze blew through his hair, causing him to relax. "This was the chief's late father's dragon. He... said someone would need to look after him. I wish I'd known him better."

Terra smiled softly as she heard the affection in Eret's voice as he spoke of the late chief. She pulled her eyes away from the Viking and instead looked to her youngest sister, who was looking at Fishlegs with an adoring look. The two had immediately bonded when they'd come to the island and Terra could easily see that her sister's affection was more than friendly with the Viking.

Isla looked away from Fishlegs to see Terra staring openly at her with an eyebrow arched. Isla's cheeks blazed a bright pink as she realized she'd been caught looking at the Viking. As she buried her face into the Vikings back, she'd never know that the Viking shared her blush but he grew shy because of her touch.

Skya hadn't noticed her sisters exchange as she felt the wind blow her hair and the feelings of freedom and comfort filled her soul. She hadn't realized how much she'd love the clouds but had always had a love for the wind. She unwrapped her arms from Tuffnut and spread them out to feel as if she were flying, the feeling of euphoria nearly wiping away the memories of the past.

"Did we miss something?" Snotlout asked as he and Astrid joined their group of friends.

"Don't you usually?" Ruffnut asked sarcastically.

Tuffnut took the opening to say "He does indeed, dear sister."

Fishlegs was about to say something when he saw Skya smack the male twin in the back of the head. Isla quietly giggled as the familiar scolding expression crossed her purple-haired sister's face. Tuffnut rubbed his head before smiling mischievously at Skya.

"Don't you two even attempt to do something stupid while my sister is on the back of that dragon," Terra called out in a tone that sounded very close to their mother.

Tuffnut and Ruffut directed Barf and Belch to fly close to Skullcrusher. Skya looked at them confused as Tuffnut helped her onto the larger dragon's back. He smiled as he said, "She said while you were on the dragon."

"Now that you are off of the dragon, however." Ruffnut's mischievous grin echoed that of her brother and Skya very quickly wrapped her arms around her older sister as she looked down.

Terra kept a firm hand on her sister as she glared at the twins. Isla attempted to ease the tension as she said "It's a good thing you guys have done that a lot. Someone could fall trying to go from dragon to dragon like that."

"Isn't falling half the fun?" A voice called and this caused everyone to look at the sister who'd been quiet so far. She shot her sisters a look before raising her leg... and sliding off of Toothless.

Hiccup looked shocked as he felt Vesta's weight disappear behind him and when he turned to ask her what she was doing, it was too late. This wasn't at all what he'd had in mind when he'd asked if she trusted him. He was wanting to do some spinning at the most while she was on Toothless's back, her on the dragon being the emphasis.

Toothless growled in disapproval as Terra shrieked "Vesta!"

"Has she lost her mind?" Astrid growled at Hiccup but the young chief had immediately directed Toothless to dive after the redhead as soon as they'd realized what was going on.

The fear and worry from the others was the last thing on her mind as Vesta fell through the air and towards the ocean. The overwhelming sense of freedom and the adrenaline that rushed through her was enough to make her forget about her fears, her curses, her worries, her pain, and her past so that she could feel life at that moment.

She threw her legs forward and did a flip in the air as she felt a smile spread across her face while her hands reached out to the ocean. She closed her eyes and didn't watch the sea anymore as she felt herself land on something but continued to feel the breeze on her face.

She didn't open her eyes until she felt arms go around her waist and Toothless growl at her in a way that sounded like scolding. She placed a hand on his head as she said: "Like I said, I trust you."

"That was far from what I had in mind when I asked you if you trusted me." Hiccup scolded and Vesta turned her head to look into his eyes, hoping that she could calm him. His green eyes were ablaze with worry and anger at her stunt but softened once she smiled.

She placed her hand on his hand that was resting on her waist as she said "My sisters don't take hints and I figured that was the best trust exercise I could think of. For all of us."

"Just... don't do that again. If you want the chance to fly, I'll make you a suit but don't try it on your own again." He fought the urge to pull her close as he rested his head against her shoulder, hiding his eyes from her.

She looked towards the open ocean before asking "You'd make me a suit?"

He nodded before softly saying "If it'll keep you from doing anything like that again, yes."

She laughed freely as she placed her hands on his. "You can let go now."

Toothless growled right as his rider quickly replied "Not a chance. I no longer trust you not to hurt yourself."

She didn't say anything else as they continued to fly through the air until they returned to Berk and the other riders. The minute she jumped off of Toothless, Ruffnut rushed over and put an arm around the girl. "That was awesome, my friend. Terrifying, but awesome!"

Vesta laughed at the female Vikings enthusiasm. She looked over to Skya and Isla, who were standing next to Fishlegs and Tuffnut, with disapproving looks. She was about to apologize when Astrid spoke up.

"What in the hell were you thinking?" She growled and Vesta arched an eyebrow at the girl. "You put Hiccup and Toothless in danger with that ridiculous stunt!"

"I didn't put anyone in danger but myself. Astrid, I don't know you but I know that Hiccup and Toothless know what they are doing. Do you?" Vesta crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive stance against the blonde.

Astrid took a step forward before saying "You don't know them. You don't know what they can and can't do."

"Evidently I know better than you," Vesta told her and was surprised by how calm her voice was as she spoke to the blonde. "I knew without a doubt that they would make it in time. Besides, I didn't see you racing after them to make sure they weren't hurt in the process. Were you really concerned about their safety or did you just want an excuse to scream at me?"

Astrid went to say something when she realized that what Vesta said was true. She hadn't gone after Hiccup and Toothless but had instead lead everyone back to Berk to wait for them to return.

"Burn." Snotlout said as he leaned against Hookfang. The dragon raised his tail and hit his rider in the back of the head, causing the Viking to complain very loudly upon impact.

Fishlegs stepped in to make peace as he said: "All that matters is that everyone is safe."

"Did anyone think that he was actually going to let me dive into the ocean or that he wouldn't make it in time? That Toothless wasn't going to be fast enough to get to me?" Vesta asked and this was directed at her sisters.

"No," Skya stated as she rubbed her arms. "I knew the minute they flew after you that you were going to be okay. That's why I agreed to come back to the island."

Isla smiled softly as she nodded. "Hiccup and Toothless didn't even hesitate to go after you."

Terra's glare faded as she realized why Vesta was asking them this question and let out a frustrated sigh. "This was a trust exercise?"

"An extreme one but yes." Vesta ran her hands across the scales on Toothless' neck before saying "If you guys would learn to take subtle hints, I wouldn't have to take such extremes."

Vesta smiled as Terra took a breath and returned the smile. Vesta had never been like the rest of them and her habit of following her instincts had gotten her into trouble many times but she always managed to make her point in the end. Terra let the argument go that was forming and instead opted with "Just don't do it again."

"She won't. By Odin, I will not go after you next time." Hiccup growled at her as he put his hand on Toothless's face. The dragon growled in agreement with his rider before turning his nose up in the air.

"You're both horrible liars." She told them as she placed her hands on her hips.

Hiccup smiled before grabbing her by the waist and holding her still for Toothless to lick her face. She couldn't help the disgusted cry that escaped her as she was covered in dragon spit. Hiccup couldn't help but laugh as he let go of the squirming girl. "Now we're even."

Laughter scattered around them as Vesta gathered up some of the dragon's leftover spit and slung it at Hiccup. Terra walked over to her sister but quickly backed away covering her nose.

"You need a bath. Badly." Terra didn't bother to hide her smile as she held her nose. Vesta rolled her eyes but stopped when she saw Toothless come up behind her sister and lick her from her back to the top of her head, pulling her hair with his tongue.

"That's not a bad look for you, sis," Isla called while Skya was hunched over and trying to smother her laughter with her hand.

Eret laughed lightly before saying "I'll take my leave on this and see you all at dinner. Terra, I was hoping that perhaps you'd like to join me."

Terra only nodded at him before the man flew off on his dragon. She could feel the eyes on her and look to Vesta. "Not one word."

"It's the arms, isn't it? That's what made me look at him first." Ruffnut told Terra with a flip of one of her blonde braids.

Vesta snorted in laughter lightly as she watched her sister not even try to defend herself as she walked off. Isla looked up at Fishlegs as she said: "See you at dinner tonight."

"Please try to stay out of trouble," Skya told Tuffnut and he gave her a goofy smile.

He gave her a bow before saying "Anything for you, M'lady."

Ruff draped an arm over him as she said: "By that, he means we'll try."

Skya rolled her eyes before walking off with Isla in tow. Vesta rolled her eyes and watched as her sisters walked off, leaving her with the group of Vikings. She could feel a tension in the air and she saw Astrid still glaring at her.

"We should go," Fishlegs told his friends and when he noticed that no one moved, he looked to Meatlug for help. The dragon gave him an understanding look before growling to her companions.

Barf and Belch threw their riders onto their necks as they flew off while Hookfang bit into Snotlout's tunic and dragged him away as he yelled: "I want to see the fight."

Stormfly and Toothless exchanged knowing looks as they stared at the three human's that were left. Astrid was about to say something when Vesta looked over at her. "Can I say something before you start yelling at him?"

Astrid looked at the girl stunned but crossed her arms over her chest. Hiccup wasn't so quiet and quickly said "Vesta, I don't really need help. Astrid and I-"

"That's what I wanted to talk about." Vesta interrupted quickly and Astrid raised an eyebrow at her. "Astrid, I'm not blind. I know the reason you are so hostile towards me and I'm sorry that I've made you question your relationship with Hiccup."

Vesta's words were like a bucket of ice water thrown on Astrid and she said "Your apologizing?"

"Astrid, you have nothing to worry about. Hiccup is a great friend and I know that he cares too much about you to hurt you that way." She stated and the truth in her eyes was evident. "If you don't believe anything else, believe that I'm not that kind of girl."

Hiccup stayed quiet as the two women spoke and noticed that not only was Astrid no longer hostile, but Vesta also looked vulnerable at that moment. Astrid took a breath before asking "Is this another trust stunt?"

"It's no stunt. I do want you to be able to trust me but in your own time." Vesta shrugged before saying "Whenever that will be is up to you. I'm willing to try to trust you."

Astrid didn't say anything else and Vesta only nodded before looking at Hiccup. The tension between the couple could cut like a knife but Vesta knew that it wasn't her place to intervene. She'd said her piece but the rest was up to them. Hiccup gave her a reassuring smile before saying "I'll meet you in the Great Hall soon. I'm sure Gothi is looking for you."

Vesta nodded before walking off and leaving the two to hopefully settle out the argument, one way or another. Hiccup waited until the flame-haired girl was out of sight when he took a breath and looked at Astrid.

"We need to talk."

 *****I'm back! Wow, it's been a while since an update but I was drowning in finals and school work. I hope this chapter was worth the wait and turned out good. Feel free to hit that review button, thank you for reading, and I hope that you are all enjoying the story!**


	11. Chapter 11- Laughing and Screaming

Astrid stood with her arms crossed as she looked at Hiccup, waiting for him to start the conversation that had been coming since the strange group arrived at Berk. Hiccup took a breath and ran a hand through his hair as his nerves got the better of him. This conversation was one he'd never expected to be having and therefore had no idea how to even begin the discussion.

"What's going on?" That was what he started with and he could have scolded himself for it.

Astrid raised an eyebrow at him before shrugging her shoulders and saying "You think I can't see what's going on?"

"Nothing is going on with me and Vesta! Did you not hear a word she just said?" He asked and his hand gestured to where the girl had walked off only moments ago to give emphasis to what he had to say.

"I heard what Vesta said but I didn't see you agreeing with her!" She growled at him and Hiccup ran a hand through his hair again.

"Oh, gods." He said before finally saying "I think it's time we step back from this."

Astrid crossed her arms over her chest before asking "Step back from what?"

"Us!" He told her, frustration clear in his voice and eyes. "All we do is fight anymore. You trust me as chief, as a friend, and as a fighter but you have no trust in me as a romantic interest."

Though what he said wasn't entirely a surprise, Astrid still stood there shocked and asked: "You're breaking up with me?"

"The last thing I want to do is hurt you." He told her as he took her hands in his. "I don't want us to go into this any further than we have if there is any doubt about how we feel about each other. You deserve better than that."

"Hiccup," She started and she could feel tears in her eyes but she knew that she had to ask the question that had been boiling in her since that boat had come to Berk. "Do you feel anything for her besides friendship?"

"I have no idea. I do know that I don't want to feel anything for her." He took a breath. The next thing he said was barely above a whisper but had the strength of an avalanche. "I also know that things have changed between us."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I know your right." She squeezed his hands in her's before saying "Maybe some time apart will do us good. It'll help us figure things out."

He pulled her into a tight hug before saying "Astrid even if romance isn't in the cards for our future, I always want you as a best friend."

"You'll always have me as a friend, Hiccup. Gods know you need someone to tell you when one of your plans are too crazy and when you are working too hard." She told him as she hugged him back. She moved out of the embrace before leaning forward and punching the coil so that the back fin on his flight suit came out and she smirked at him. "Some things just don't change."

"I'm glad to hear that." He said as he coiled it back for the eighty-third time. She'd been doing so for months but he was thankful for the consistency, even if the coil was starting to wear out.

"Hiccup," Astrid called before pulling the necklace over her head that he'd given her over a year ago. "Hold onto this until your certain who you want to give it to."

She placed the betrothal necklace in his hand and though both of their faces fell, it was like a weight lifted off of their shoulders as he stuck the pendant in his pocket. He smiled at her as he said: "Thank you."

"Don't get me wrong, I still hope it's me." She told him with a playful smile before she walked towards Stormfly.

They didn't miss the relieved look in their dragons' eyes as their riders approached them. Astrid pet Stormfly before jumping into the saddle and Hiccup pressed his head to Toothless's head to assure him that everything was okay before doing the same.

While this wouldn't be the last time they talked about this, it was good to see that his friendship with Astrid would survive the fires of jealousy and doubt. They flew in silence on the way to the Great Hall and were about to go in for dinner when they noticed that the hall was quieter than normal. It was easy to tell that people were still eating inside but there wasn't a voice from any of their companions to be heard.

"Maybe they're just late?" Astrid suggested and Hiccup raised an eyebrow at her.

"All of them? Since when have you known Fishlegs to be late for anything, especially dinner?" He asked and Astrid thought for a minute before shrugging. Toothless grumbled a laugh while Stormfly rolled her eyes at the dragon.

She was about to suggest they wait for them when Eret and Terra walked out of the hall. Eret greeted them with a kind smile while Terra simply said: "It's about time."

"We didn't know we were being missed," Astrid told the brunette with a smirk. "I'm actually surprised you two noticed."

Terra gave her an unamused look before rolling her eyes and saying "They asked us to wait on you so Hiccup wouldn't worry."

"Where is everyone?" Hiccup asked and was about to jump off of Toothless when Eret held up a hand.

He put a hand on Toothless before saying "The twins had some brilliant idea and somehow talked most of us into going with them. The only one who didn't want to go was Fishlegs but Isla was intrigued by the idea."

"What crazy plan could they possibly have had this time?" Astrid asked and Eret shrugged.

Terra put a hand to her forehead before saying "It's the twins. I quit listening to them long enough to miss the plan because surely no one else was listening. Apparently, my sisters thought whatever it was is a brilliant idea. "

Eret walked over to Skullcrusher and jumped into the saddle before saying "I didn't hear much of the plan but I heard where they were going. We figured if anyone could talk some sense into them, you could."

He held out a hand and Hiccup watched in amusement as Terra ignored the offered help and jumped into the saddle on her own. They didn't say another word before taking off towards the edge of Berk and when they arrived, they found Gothi waiting with several bandages and ointments on hand.

"That's definitely not a calming sight." Hiccup groaned as they landed. He jumped off of Toothless and made his way to Gothi.

The elder smiled at him as he approached before waving in greeting to him. He nodded his head in respect before asking "What's going on?"

Terra didn't wait for Skullcrusher to fully land before jumping off of the saddle and running towards the chief and elder. "Is everyone okay so far?"

"They are fine. Your sisters are okay for right now." Hiccup told her before Gothi started scribbling on the ground. He waited until she was done before saying "Gothi says that they just wanted to go for a flight before dinner."

Eret laughed before saying "Those girls can't get enough of the air, can they?"

"Skya's the only one who's ever had a curiosity for it but that actually makes sense." Terra groaned as she looked up at the night sky, trying to see any movement.

Astrid laughed before saying "I'll go check on them and make sure no one has been caught on fire. Yet, at least."

"May I come with you?" Terra asked and Astrid gave her a curious look. "I'll just feel much better if I see them for myself. Not that I don't trust you."

Stormfly looked back to give her rider a curious expression and Astrid sighed before smiling. "Come on. I think it would do you some good to be on a different dragon anyway."

Terra smiled before running over and throwing herself onto the saddle. They flew off not a moment later and Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good to see her getting along with at least one of them.

"Astrid and Terra are very similar in a lot of ways. They both take on the role of mother of the group and help keep everyone safe." Eret told him as he stared after the trio.

Hiccup smirked as he looked at the newest rider and asked: "Is it just me or am I saying a bit of interest between you and Terra?"

Eret smiled and didn't bother to deny the accusation. "She's beautiful, strong, and smart. I'll admit that there is an attraction there but they are all so secretive. She asked me a bit about being a dragon rider but avoided eye contact so that I wouldn't ask her something in return."

"I understand completely." Hiccup told him and Eret looked from the sky to Hiccup. "Vesta says that it's nothing she's willing to talk about. The only thing she's told me is that they didn't fit in anywhere that they went."

Eret thought for a moment before saying "They seem to fit in well here."

Hiccup was about to say something else when Gothi poked him in the chest with her staff. He gave her a curious look when she pointed to the sky and shook her head. He laughed as he realized that she was scolding him for talking about the four women who weren't there to defend themselves.

Eret looked confused until Gothi removed the staff from Hiccup's chest to hit Eret upside the head and wagged a finger at him. "No disrespect intended, Gothi."

Eret was still rubbing his head when Astrid landed with Stormfly back on the ground along with the others. Skya jumped off of Barf and did a flip in the air before landing gracefully on her feet. Isla rolled her eyes before she simply slipped off of the Meatlug and walked over to her sister.

"Show off," Isla told her and Skya simply giggled. Isla looked toward Meatlug and Fishlegs before throwing a smile at them from over shoulder. "Terra, you have got to start flying more. It's so much fun."

Skya ran a hand through her messy purple hair and let it fall down her back before saying "Such a rush. It's the perfect balance of freedom and safety."

"I'm glad you two are having fun." Terra looked between the riders and had a worried expression come across her face. "Dare I ask?"

"She said she didn't want to come with us." Tuffnut shrugged as spoke. He then looked towards Skya with a coy smile. "Something about needing them to bond without her being there."

Ruffnut snorted before saying "Whatever that means. She probably just couldn't stomach the idea of having to ride with Snotlout."

"Not that anyone can blame her," Astrid said with a smirk and the twins began to laugh.

"Hey, that is not true! Plus, Hookfang would never let her ride him willingly." Snotlout growled and jumped off of his dragon. Hookfang smacked Snotlout with his tail at the accusation.

Hiccup rolled his eyes before looking to Isla. "So where is she?"

"Where is who, dear?" Valka asked and Hiccup jumped a mile at the sound of her voice.

Skya giggled before leaning against Isla and both sisters looked to Terra. The oldest rolled her eyes before asking "Have you seen our sister?"

"I believe she was helping Gobber at the forge. The lass seems to have a fascination with the fire and weapons." Valka told the group and the girls smiled with relief.

All three of the girls nodded respectfully before saying "Thank you."

"Wait up!" Tuffnut yelled and quickly caught up with Skya. He smiled coyly before saying: "Wouldn't want you to get burned at the forge."

Isla smiled at her sister before saying "That is so sweet of you, Tuff."

She then thought for a moment before running over and grabbing Fishlegs' hand and lacing her fingers with it. The Viking's face turned red and he followed the small, blue-haired girl wordlessly. She stopped in her tracks and they both looked to Meatlug with smiles.

"Come on, girl," Fishlegs called to the Gronckle and she chased after the two.

"Can I puke yet?" Snotlout asked and Terra, hearing the Viking's comment, turned to look at Eret.

She shot Snotlout a devious look before asking: "Would you like to walk with us?"

"I'd love to, my lady." He didn't make the slightest move of a physical touch but instead settled for walking close to the green-eyed beauty with Skullcrusher following closely behind with an amused expression.

Ruffnut rolled her eyes before leading the Zippleback with her to follow her brother and the others. Snotlout started to walk the other way until he realized that Hookfang was walking with the rest of them. He groaned in aggravation as he started to follow the Monstrous Nightmare.

Valka laughed before looking at Astrid and Hiccup. She noticed that the chain was gone from around Astrid's neck but said nothing about it but instead told them: "Don't be long."

They both nodded and walked towards the forge with their dragon companions close behind them. When they all arrived, they were surprised by the sight they saw.

"You are pretty good at this. I think Snotlout may have a run for his gold if you stay here for long, girlie." Gobber said as he took a drink from his mug. Vesta only smiled as thanks before she went back to staring at the target while holding a bow and arrow, ready to release.

Vesta released the arrow and the group watched as it impaled the perfect center of the target. She had yet to notice the group that had shown up as she kept her eyes trained on the center and pulled another arrow from the quiver. She kept both eyes opened and let out a breath as she released the arrow. She smiled proudly as the arrow shot through the one she had just shot and into the target itself.

"What is this made from?" She asked as her fingers delicately slid over the bow.

Gobber smiled and decided that it was the perfect time to give away the group's presence. "Ask Hiccup, that's one of his brilliant inventions."

She looked up from the bow and smiled to the group of people that were watching her. Hiccup cleared his throat before walking over to her and saying: "It was actually just an accident. I was messing around in the forge and found that the whitewood worked better."

"Never mind the bow, what's this about her replacing me for weapon testing?" Snotlout yelled at Gobber.

Gobber took another drink and belched before saying "I like her better. She appreciates the work and doesn't complain as much."

While the rest of the group laughed, Terra looked at her sister before she gestured to the target and asked: 'Is that something you picked up on your little adventure"

Vesta shrugged instead of answering and decided that before her sister could ask her anything else, she would turn everyone's attention to something else.

"Who's hungry?"

 *****Well... that's chapter 11 done and over. I hope that you are all enjoying the story so far and I wanted to give a big thank you to** **Kamicazi** **for the review on the last chapter. I can not tell you all enough how much a review makes my day. I apologize for it starting out slow but I assure you all that things are going to pick up soon enough! I would love to see some reviews on this chapter and I hope that you are enjoying the story so far.**


	12. Chapter 12- Embracing the Unknown

"Vesta, please, talk to me about it," Terra begged as she walked after her younger sister toward the Great Hall. Skya and Isla rolled their eyes before leaning against each other and watching the fight that had happened more than once over the past year.

Astrid looked at them with a confused look before asking "Why don't you two look surprised?"

"This argument has been going on since she came back home." Isla shrugged and ran a hand through her blue hair to try to ease her nerves.

Skya put a hand to her forehead before saying "You would think that they wouldn't argue so much."

"Why is that? Did she punch her last time?" Tuffnut asked with curiosity clear in his voice. Skya quickly turned her head to give a disapproving look causing Tuffnut to add "That just seems like something Vesta would do."

Neither of the sisters said anything more and Hiccup gave the two women a curious look before looking at the other two sisters. Fishlegs cleared his throat before asking: "Does it get worse?"

"No, Terra just wants to know what happened and Vesta, being Vesta, prefers to keep what happened while she was gone a secret." Skya leaned against Barf and Belch as she watched her sisters argue.

Snotlout looked at the purple haired girl before asking "Was she kidnapped? I can't really think of anyone who would want to keep her for long but it's a possibility."

"No, we know why she left but we don't know what happened during that time." Isla's stress was clear in her eyes as the possibilities of what could have happened raced through her mind.

Ruffnut ran a hand through her hair before asking: "How long was she gone anyway?"

Isla rubbed her arms like she was cold but didn't look away from her sisters. "Four years. She took off when she was twelve and when she came back home, she was twice as skilled in combat and closed us off."

"You can quit talking about me like I'm not here," Vesta called as she leaned around her sister.

Isla blushed before Skya said: "Sorry. This fighting could be avoided if you'd just tell us."

"There's nothing to argue about," Vesta said with a shrug before smiling. "Besides, none of my time away was as exciting as coming to Berk. I didn't see any dragons while I was away."

That should have been what ended the argument but Terra couldn't help but ask: "Then why keep it a secret?"

Vesta put a hand to her forehead and was on the verge of losing her temper when Hiccup surprised all of them. Though he spoke to everyone, his eyes were solely focused on Terra. "Everyone has something in their life that they aren't proud of and I think that you should respect her enough to not violate her privacy."

Terra looked at him with wide green eyes before walking off and Eret shrugged. He put a reassuring hand on Hiccup's shoulder and though nothing was said, Eret's eyes showed Hiccup that the ex-dragon trapper supported him with his decision.

Isla put a hand on Fishlegs' arm before gesturing to the hall and saying: "Is anyone else hungry? I could really use some of that yak stew right about now."

"I couldn't agree more." Fishlegs agreed and looked back to Meatlug. "What do you say, girl?"

The riders laughed as each of their dragons growled in anticipation for the meal that waited for them and Tuffnut grabbed Skya and Ruffnut's arms before hauling them off with him to the Hall, not willing to walk at their pace and while Ruffnut yelled out her disapproval, Skya laughed the entire time as she heard Barf and Belch running behind them.

Hookfang grabbed Snotlout by his vest and took off running with him to the Hall and Astrid jumped on Stormfly as she yelled at the duo: "Oh no, you don't. You are not eating my roll again."

She took a moment to turn her head and smile at Isla, who was smothering a laugh at the exchange. Meatlug tossed the blue haired girl into the saddle and Fishlegs laughed as he joined her and they rode off towards their friends.

With their friends gone, this left only Vesta, Hiccup, and their Night Fury friend. Toothless bared his gums in a grin at the girl and she returned with a smile of her own but it didn't light up her eyes like it normally would.

Hiccup cleared his throat before walking closer to her and saying: "I'm really sorry. I know you hate it when people step in for you but-"

His words were stuck in his throat as Vesta wrapped her arms around the chief in an embrace before saying "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Hiccup told her as he wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't help but notice how she fit into his arms perfectly and how natural it felt to have his arms around her. The smell of ash and roses filled his senses as he held her close and he found that the smell reminded him of home.

He wasn't sure how long the embrace lasted but he only pulled away when Vesta made a move like she was uncomfortable. When he looked into her bright pink eyes, he could see that she had a blush on her cheeks. She ran a hand through her hair and looked at her feet, avoiding his eyes.

"I've really got to keep my distance. I really don't want Astrid's ax anywhere near me."

Hiccup laughed and she looked back up at him and was on the verge of saying a witty retort when she realized that it wasn't an amused laugh.

He cleared his throat before saying "We broke up, actually. We realized that we both still have some things to resolve before we try to be permanent."

"In other words, you realized that after we showed up." Vesta's guilt was written all over her face as she looked up at him.

He shrugged before saying "It's nothing for you to worry about. Let's go get something to eat."

Toothless growled in agreement, causing the two to remember that he was still there. He'd been silent throughout their embrace and conversation so seeing him there was almost a shock to Vesta.

"Bud, I swear you act like I don't feed you." Hiccup rolled his eyes at the dragon and the Night Fury let his tongue hang out and tilted his head sideways to look at his rider.

Vesta giggled before holding her nose. "He's not fooling anyone. I can smell his fish breath from here."

"Don't even think about it." Hiccup told the dragon as a familiar mischievous gleam appeared in the dragon's eyes.

Toothless walked up close to the two and was about to exhale when the girl held up her hand. She smiled before saying "I will sneak you an extra piece of fish but you have to keep your mouth closed."

Toothless laughed and turned around before racing towards the hall, leaving the two humans standing there. Hiccup laughed as he watched his friend take off and made a mental note to remember that the next time Toothless decided to cover him with dragon spit, to bribe him with fish.

After joining the rest of their group and exchanging a few polite words, Vesta excused herself to go sit with Gothi and Gobber. Hiccup had joined his mother by the doors to watch over everyone after finishing his meal and though she hadn't said anything, he knew that the concerned expression on her face was one of worry.

"Is everything okay?" She finally asked and he turned his attention away from the dragons to her worried blue eyes.

He nodded before looking back. "I'm okay. I'm not as hurt as I thought I would be but I guess it's because…"

"You have no idea of what you want now, do you?" Valka asked and turned to look at Astrid, who was waving her axe and conversing with her friends and the three sisters that were laughing at the exchange.

Then she turned her attention to Vesta, who was studying the herbs Gothi was mixing to make an ointment for burns. Gobber waved his leg of mutton around and said something that was impossible to hear over the noise but it caused Vesta to blush so deep that it put roses to shame. Vesta shook her head and began scolding the Viking, who only laughed as the teen's blush deepened.

Hiccup smiled at the exchange and it brought a warm feeling to his heart. "It looks like they are starting to get used to being here."

Valka smiled before looking up at her son, a question in her eyes that was hidden behind the question she asked. "Do you think they will stay?"

"I hope so."

 *****Hey everyone, just thought I would let everyone know that this story is on quotev and if you are curious about how the girls look, there are images of them on chapters 2, 7, 9, and 10 on quotev. Thank you for reading and I hope that you liked the update!**


	13. Chapter 13- Gustav and Snoggletog Plans

It started off as a normal day. Well, normal for Berk at least. The group of riders and dragons were gathered in the arena attempting to come up with plans for the annual holiday that everyone had nearly forgotten was coming up due to their new visitors.

Hiccup had quickly learned that for everyone else, Snoggletog was a time of relaxation and enjoying quality time with the ones they loved. For the chief, however…

"For the last time, we are not setting anything or anyone on fire." Hiccup growled at the twins for the fifth time in an hour. He put a hand to his head and rubbed his temple in an attempt to soothe the headache he now had.

Tuffnut waved his arms around for exaggeration as he said: "Oh come on, Chief. We have to have something new and exciting this year. It's got to be the best Snoggletog ever."

"It's got to make the history books!" Ruffnut agreed and added, "What better way to do that than to set something on fire?"

"Something that doesn't risk burning down the entire village?" Astrid suggested with an unimpressed tone. Hiccup smiled at her, grateful that at least one person was on his side.

Snotlout snorted and said: "Besides, none of your losers would be able to keep up with me and Hooky here. Fire and destruction are what we're best at."

"I think the twins might have you beat there, Snotlout." Fishlegs stated and Meatlug lightly growled in agreement.

Snotlout gestured to Hookfang before asking: "Monstrous Nightmare, hello? What can a Zippleback do better than Hookfang?"

The twins smiled deviously as Barf started to release the gas from his mouth and as soon as it reached its destination, Toothless growled before quickly leaving Hiccup's side and rushed to the exit right as Belch lit the spark and set the half away from the riders on fire.

While the riders were nowhere near the smoke itself, this didn't stop Hiccup from glaring at the twins.

"Will you two please be careful?" He growled before looking into the smoke that hadn't quite cleared. "Toothless?"

When the smoke finally cleared, Toothless had one of his wings spread and the sounds of someone coughing could be easily heard behind it. Toothless lowered his wing to reveal that Isla was the one he'd rushed to get to.

"That was impressive." She told the dragon between coughs and didn't have time to say anything else before Fishlegs had rushed to her side.

He studied her for any sign of burns as he asked: "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She told him after another fit of coughs. "I don't know how you guys are still breathing in this mess though."

Meatlug walked over to the girl and Isla put a reassuring hand on the Gronkle, unable to say anything. Toothless looked down at the small blue-eyed girl and grumbled with concern. After the coughing finally cleared, Isla leaned up and placed a kiss on the dragon's cheek to assure him that she was okay.

"Is there a chance I can get you to not say anything about this to Skya?" Tuffnut asked

with a pleading expression and sweet smile.

Isla laughed before saying: "Your secret is safe with me."

"No, it isn't." Skya's voice echoed and when the riders turned to look at her, it was easy to see that she was more amused than anything. "I'm not mad."

"Thank the gods for that." Ruffnut chuckled and Tuffnut smiled sheepishly at the purple haired beauty.

Skya looked around for a moment before breathing out a sigh of disappointment. "No such luck."

"You know she's probably up a tree somewhere if she hasn't been eaten, right?" Isla told her sister and Skya grimaced at the words.

"Vesta gone again?" Hiccup asked, finding the conversation more than familiar.

Skya shrugged before saying "You know how she is. I think we are making progress though. Terra didn't bother to come looking for her this time."

"So what are the lovebirds doing?" Astrid asked and Isla giggled. The idea of her sister having such a label was almost as amusing as her finding someone attractive. It had been unexpected but not completely surprising.

Skya, however, rolled her eyes at the term. "Terra is helping one of the village women with her baby and I believe Eret is helping Gobber with something."

"That doesn't sound too good." Hiccup stated before walking over to Isla. "Are you sure your okay?"

She nodded and smiled brightly before saying: "I'm okay. Believe me, I've had worse."

"I think I win on the scale of worst run-ins, at least for today." Terra stated, not even bothering to ask what they were fussing over her youngest sister for. Terra had been watching from afar and had seen the Night Fury dive after her younger sister, shielding her from the flames with ease. She looked up at the dragon and nodded in a way of thanks.

"What do you mean?" Astrid asked the brunette with a curious expression.

Terra looked from Astrid to Snotlout before asking "You don't happen to have a sibling that is a miniature version of you, do you?"

"Why does everyone ask that?" Snotlout yelled and put his hands in his hair, groaning in frustration.

Fishlegs laughed before looking at Terra with an apologetic look. "You must have met Gustav."

"Which is pretty much exactly what you described." Hiccup added with a smirk before clearing his throat. "Is he bothering you?"

Terra looked up at the Chief with a teasing smile. "Me, no. Vesta, however…"

"Gustav is going to need some rescuing if he's anything like Snotlout." Skya stated.

Tuffnut looked at the chief questioningly and Hiccup quickly responded with "We are not burning him at the stake"

Ruffnut opened her mouth and Fishlegs quickly added: "Or throwing him off a cliff. He's still a kid."

"You guys take all the fun out of everything." Ruffnut stated before crossing her arms in a pout.

Skya giggled softly before looking at Ruffnut. "I don't know. If he's anything like Snotlout, I'll throw my vote in for the cliff idea."

Tuffnut beamed with joy as he wrapped an arm around Skya's waist. "That, my friends, is why she is my favorite of the sisters."

"I hope that's not the only reason you like me." Skya told him teasingly before unwrapping his arm from her waist.

"Of course not." Tuffnut told her with a triumphant grin.

Snotlout chuckled as he said: "It's just the only thing he can think of right now."

Terra had a witty retort formed on her lips when the sound of someone crying out in pain pulled her attention away from the conversation. When the sound came again, she looked to the riders and said: "I believe that's our cue."

Hiccup nodded at her in agreement before a frustrated sigh left his lips. "Can't this kid just stay out of trouble?"

"Vesta or Gustav?" Terra suggested and Hiccup was about to say that there was no question about who he was talking about. Then he thought back to the last couple of days and laughed.

"I guess you have a point there." Terra stifled a giggle at his words and it was a welcome sound. The two hadn't exactly seen eye to eye since they'd arrived but each day brought progress.

Isla and Skya laughed as Tuffnut and Ruffnut rushed to catch up with the chief and their older sister, causing the two of them to turn around with confused looks. Ruffnut smiled brightly as she said: "Don't deny us the chance to see Gustav finally get what he deserves. He's had this coming since the boar pit."

Tuffnut nodded in agreement with his sister. "We all deserve to see it. Especially since Vesta can get away with it."

"She's not getting away with it, Tuff," Fishlegs stated with a disapproving look but had a small smile trying to make an appearance.

Snotlout broke up in spurts of sarcastic laughter before stopping and saying "We all know she is."

Astrid rolled her eyes as she began walking with the other riders but it didn't take long to see that they were in no hurry to get to Gustav. The poor kid was just going to have to suffer for a bit.

When they arrived, they saw that Gustav was definitely in pain but not from anything that Vesta had inflicted. The girl was trying her best to stifle giggles as Gothi hit the teenage boy over the head with her staff for the third time before gesturing back to Vesta.

"Okay, apparently he pissed Gothi off," Astrid said between quiet chuckles. The twins weren't near as subtle as they began laughing at the scene in front of them, causing Vesta to look up.

Hiccup smiled as the girl's eyes met his and asked: "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She told him before clearing her throat. "I was just getting to know the tinier version of Snotlout when Gothi got here. I'm not entirely sure what happened from there but you can see the end result."

No sooner had she finished talking when Gothi hit the boy over the head again. Gustav looked at the elder before saying: "She doesn't seem to be offended, why are you?"

Gothi shook her head in disapproval before drawing something in the dirt and when

Hiccup looked down, he had to stop himself from hitting the kid in the head. Instead, he went with scolding him. "Gustav, please try to remember that you were raised better than to say things like that."

"It was a compliment," Gustav said and Hiccup rolled his eyes. Gothi reached up and grabbed the teen's ear before leading him away from the group.

Vesta arched an eyebrow before shaking her head. "I think I'll leave that one alone. What are you all up to?"

"Trying to decide what to do about Snoggletog." Fishlegs told the girl and she looked at him confused.

Hiccup leaned against Toothless before asking: "Any thoughts?"

"Is it contagious?" Vesta asked, a curious expression crossing her features.

Astrid rolled her eyes but didn't say anything as she put a hand on Stormfly. Ruffnut seemed to be in a better mood after seeing Gustav hit with a stick and decided to help the newcomer out. "It's our holiday."

"We give gifts and eat a lot of food. That's pretty much what you need to know." Tuffnut stated with a smile and Isla giggled.

Skya couldn't stop herself from asking: "When don't you eat a lot of food?"

"Ha ha." Snotlout said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. Isla whispered in Meatlug's ear

and no sooner had she finished speaking, the Gronkle spit some lava in the Viking's direction. "Not cool!"

Terra gave her sister an unamused and disapproving look before running a hand through her dark curls nervously. "What kind of gifts are traditionally given for this holiday?"

"I would think that the type wouldn't really matter," Isla suggested before petting

Meatlug lightly. "A gift from the heart is always special."

"She's right." Astrid agreed and Isla smiled at her. Astrid didn't return the smile but offered a nod of approval.

Vesta had been listening intently until she caught Hiccup looking at her curiously. She cleared her throat and began playing with the end of the braid that was slung over her shoulder, not wanting to meet his curious green eyes.

"Will you all still be here?" He asked and this question caused Fishlegs and Tuffnut to lose their smiles as they turned to Terra.

Vesta gave her a pleading look but as Terra simply smiled at the Chief, ignoring her sister's pleas. "We wouldn't miss it."

Isla and Skya rushed forward and hugged their sister as they squealed with joy. Terra smiled as she embraced her sisters and both Tuffnut and Fishlegs had a similar smile.

Snotlout groaned before looking at his Viking companions. "You two are morons."

"Vesta, where are you going?" Ruffnut called after the rosy-eyed teen.

Vesta turned around and yawned before saying: "I think I'm just going to turn in for the night. I'm not feeling so great."

"Vesta…" Terra started and Vesta smirked at her.

Vesta crossed her arms over her chest and smiled reassuringly. "I'm fine. Go, have fun. You don't have enough of it."

She didn't let her sister answer before she made her way back to the twins hut and

Hiccup put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll go check on her."

"Thank you," Terra told him and walked back the short distance to rejoin her sisters and the other riders.

Hiccup watched as his companions, along with Skya and Isla, climbed onto the backs of the dragons and flew off into the clouds. Terra simply rolled her eyes and began to walk to Gobber's shop, where Eret had decided to spend his day making weapons.

He was about to walk to the twins hut to check on Vesta when Spitelout appeared. "Plenty of time for that later, Chief."

Hiccup nodded and let his uncle lead him away and to tend to his chiefly duties. This didn't stop him from glancing over his shoulder and back at the home where he knew Vesta was. He looked away from the home and pushed his worries for the girl to the back of his mind as he reminded himself that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

 *****Not much to say about this one except that I hope you enjoyed the update. Feel free to hit that review button if you did. Have a great day!**


	14. Chapter 14- Sisters Agreement

Vesta had decided against the idea of staying inside and instead had grabbed a dusty book from Tuffnut's shelf before heading outside to the forest in search of a sturdy tree. She'd tucked the book under her chin before climbing up and finding a limb that was sturdy enough to be sat on but still left enough cover for her to be hidden from the heat of the sun.

When she opened the book, she was surprised to find that it was the book of dragons that Gobber had told her so much about. There were no explanations for why the twins would have it but she decided to take advantage of the chance to learn about the dragons she had yet to encounter.

She was so engrossed in the book that she didn't realize one of her sisters were below the tree watching her. She quickly figured this out when the limb she was sitting on gave way and she fell to the earth beneath her. She groaned in pain before looking up to see Terra standing over her. "I really hate you sometime."

Terra held her hand out and Vesta didn't hesitate to take it so that she could stand up again. Terra had a familiar expression on her face that gave away the reason for her searching for her sister. "We need to talk."

"I figured that from the disapproving look on your face." She growled and picked up the book that had fallen before leaning against the tree.

"Vesta, the people here have welcomed us with open arms. We've been accepted into the village after them not even wanting us to stop here." Terra started and Vesta arched an eyebrow at her. "It's the chance for us to have a home. To finally belong somewhere."

Vesta snorted sarcastically at the idea. "I thought home was where you could be yourself without worrying about being judged. Unless you have revealed our dirty little secret, then the people here haven't fully accepted us."

Terra took a calming breath before placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Please just consider it. Hiding who we are keeps us safe."

"I ran from who I am for four years, Terra. Believe me when I say that you can't hide who you are." Vesta's voice wasn't rough like she was expecting but held a more advising tone than anything else.

Terra dropped her hand from her sister's shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest. "Vesta, no one knows you anymore. You disappear for four years without a word and then closed off the people who not only love you, but understand you."

"Terra, you couldn't possibly understand." Vesta growled before turning away to hide the tears that began to sting her eyes. "You can't understand how it feels to know that one second of lost control can take everything from you."

She clutched the book closer to her to try to hold herself together as Terra said: "Mom's death wasn't your fault. It was an accident and something that you had no control over. As for losing everything, you still have us."

"You must be joking. You, Isla, and Skya still look at me the same way you did that night. Hesitant and afraid. I know that we still love each other as sisters but you can't say that nothing has changed." Vesta decided to let her tears freely fall down her face as she spoke the words that she had kept locked away for so long.

Terra couldn't see her sister's face but she knew from how she was shaking that she'd finally let go of something she'd been holding back. Terra wished that she knew the right words but she couldn't deny that some what her sister had said was true. Some days they were still hesitant around Vesta but after four years without her, they'd been much like they were as children and stayed close to each other.

Terra sighed unsure of what to say except: "We love you. No matter what. Please, just… don't leave again."

Vesta breathed a sigh of her own before wiping her tears on her sleeves and turning to look at her sister. "If you want to make a home here, then I'll stay. On the condition that we tell them the truth. I know that it's killing you to not know if Eret will accept you the same way that it's killing Isla. I don't really think Skya will have too much of a problem with Tuffnut and Ruffnut but they still need to know what they are getting into."

"And Hiccup?" Terra asked and Vesta looked from her sister's green eyes to her own black boots, suddenly seeming intrigued by the leather. "I'm not blind Vesta."

Vesta bit her lip hesitantly before saying: "It doesn't matter. He has Astrid, whether they are together right now or not. Plus, I have a habit of disappointing the people I care about so I'd rather just keep the list as small as possible."

"That's no way to live your life. You can't keep punishing yourself." Terra took a step foward but stopped when Vesta stepped away.

"Terra," Vesta lifted her head so Terra could see the seriousness in her bright pink eyes as she said: "Whether you believe it or even admit it, mom is gone because of me. If I get close to him and something happens, I don't think that I'll be able to live with that."

Terra smiled sweetly as she asked: "Yet you are still willing to take the chance of telling them so that we can have a home?"

"There isn't anything I wouldn't give for that." Vesta assured her and Terra threw her arms around Vesta. The girl didn't let go of the book as she returned her sister's embrace, not knowing how much she needed it until that moment.

When Terra pulled back, she had a smile on her face that could have put a bride on her wedding day to shame. "We'll tell them soon. After the holiday preferably."

Vesta shook her head before saying: "We don't need to prolong this anymore than we already have."

"Then let's go tell them." Terra said without a moment of hesitation. She may not like the idea of it, but she knew that her sister was right. If they waited too long, admitting the truth would grow more agonizing with each moment.

"Might as well get it over with." Vesta agreed. As they walked back to the village, she could feel her heart hammering. While there was no way to outrun the past and who they were, maybe there was a hope for their future on Berk.

 *****It's another update! It's short and sweet but I wanted to have something to lead into when the girls tell the truth about them. The secret that they have been keeping is going to be revealed in the next chapter along with a few others. Thank you for reading and hit that review button if you enjoyed the chapter.**


	15. Chapter 15- Reveal

Vesta and Terra had barely made their way back to the village when they heard yelling. Children were being rushed into the huts while the men and women were taking up arms. Gobber had the forge lit and Astrid was screaming orders while she flew above them on Stormfly.

Terra hadn't hesitated and immediately raced through the village to seek out her younger sisters and keep them safe. Vesta was about to join her when she spotted Gothi with arm fills of herbs and tonics. Valka ran over and helped the old woman get to Gobber's forge to seek shelter.

Tuffnut and Ruffnut let out a battle cry as they flew off on Barf and Belch and the noise caused Vesta to turn her head. She saw Hiccup and Fishlegs grab crossbows from Gobber before placing them on their dragons. They were about to ride off when Hiccup saw Vesta watching him with a worried look in her eyes.

"Hiccup?" Fishlegs called and the young chief didn't answer his friend as he ran to the girl.

He grabbed her arm to make sure that she wasn't in shock before saying: "Get inside. I can't be worried about you too."

"Hiccup, I can help." she pulled her arm out of his grasp before adding "I'm far from defenseless."

"Vesta, I know that but I can't let you get hurt. Go find your sisters and stay with the children." Hiccup pleaded but it didn't do him a bit of good.

Vesta turned on her heel and raced to the docks where her sisters were. Hiccup felt the urge to run after her but knew that his people had to come before her. With a heavy heart, he raced back to his dragon and jumped into the saddle.

He put a hand on Toothless before putting his shield split into a crossbow. "Let's go, bud."

Hiccup and Toothless took to the skies and saw that the four ships heading for Berk had lions on their sails, marking them as an unknown enemy.

"Who are they?" Astrid asked as she and Stormfly came go fly close to Hiccup and Toothless.

Snotlout appeared close to Fishlegs and yelled: "More importantly: what did we do to them?"

"It doesn't matter. They are going to kill someone if we don't get them away from Berk." Hiccup told them as he got eye level with his shield and prepared to let the first arrow flu that would signal the others on the island.

"We have another problem!" Ruffnut yelled and pointed to the ship towards the back.

The riders looked just in time to see a fireball being hurled their way and coming in opened his mouth and prepare to fire a plasma blast when another ball of fire collided with it and they both shattered before falling into the ocean.

"Can these guys just not aim or did someone launch the catapult back home?" Tuffnut asked as he out his hand to his chin.

Hiccup watched as the other crew members on the ship looked around confused. Astrid studied the ship before saying: "I'm gonna go with: no, that wasn't from them."

"The angles wrong so it couldn't have been from home." Fishlegs explained and the twins groaned.

Snotlout glared before saying: "Now is not the time for math, Fishface!"

"Look!" Astrid called to the other riders and their eyes all focused on the area behind the ships.

While the water began to recede and a tornado began to form, fire shot at the ships and set the wheels ablaze. A moment later, a giant rock was hurled to the ship on the lead ship's left flank and broke the catapult that was nearly ready to be fired. The wind caused the ships to change their direction to where they were now facing the funnel before it disappeared. The waves then rose up and came crashing down with a force hard enough to send the ships sailing away from Berk.

"Are the gods actually on our side today or do we have worse problems to face?" Fishlegs asked and Hiccup studied the sea before deciding it was safe enough to look at his friend.

He noticed then that all of the riders' eyes were on him and looking for answers, answers that he couldn't possibly have. He sighed before saying: "Let's head back to Berk and see what the damage is."

Toothless growled in agreement and the others nodded while their dragons flew them back home. It was a quiet ride back until Hookfang began to growl. Snotlout shifted uncomfortably as the dragon turned his head and Snotlout tried to get him to focus his attention back to his hut but Hookfang growled and shot off toward the docks.

"Hookfang, what the hell are you doing?" Snotlout yelled as the dragon flew off.

Astrid stopped and looked at Hiccup as she said: "Something's wrong. He's never been that bad about this."

"Let's follow him and see what's going on." Hiccup called to the riders. Toothless growled to the other dragons and they immediately rushed to flank Hookfang. When the Monstrous Nightmare landed, Snotlout quickly jumped off of him as the dragon went over to the four sisters.

Hookfang growled and Vesta placed a hand on his neck in a comforting way before looking to the other riders, fear in her eyes. She backed away from the dragon and instead placed herself in front of her sisters.

Toothless hadn't even fully landed when Hiccup jumped out of the saddle and put his hands up at the girls to try to calm them. All of them looked afraid but ready for a fight at the same time. The moment Fishlegs and the twins landed, both Skya and Isla turned into Terra to hide their faces from them.

"It's okay." Hiccup tried and Vesta bristled as he took a step closer. "Vesta, talk to me."

When he held his hands up for the riders to keep their distance, she calmed down enough to lose the defensive stance she had. "Please, let us explain before you assume anything."

"Hooky, get over here!" Snotlout growled and the dragon huffed before joining his rider and staring the four sisters down.

Astrid jumped off of Stormfly and raised her axe as she glared at the redhead. " What just happened?"

Terra intervened and pulled away from her younger sisters to stand by the one that stood alone. "Please, hear us out. We were going to tell you but we weren't sure how."

"That was absolutely incredible." Eret's voice was the one to be heard first. He landed close to Toothless, who growled in greeting at the new rider. He nodded before jumping off Skullcrusher and going to stand close to the young chief.

"Eret." Terra's voice was soft and her smile was bright and the look of approval in his eyes gave her hope that maybe the others would be as accepting.

Fishlegs looked distraught as he saw that Isla refused to meet his gaze, her blue eyes instead focusing on the dirt beneath her boots. Tuffnut was the one who finally broke the tension as he slid off of Belch and raised his arms up as he said: "Did you guys see what just happened out there? We didn't even have to do anything for those guys to run off like chickens!"

Skya allowed herself to laugh and this one sound managed to erase nearly all of the tension on the sisters' side. Skya stepped forward and walked over to him before placing a hand on his cheek. "Are you okay?"

"We're great!" Ruffnut told her as she threw her hands up in celebration.

Astrid looked at the purple haired girl and glared but made no move to separate the two. Instead, she looked back at the other three sisters. Terra and Vesta were watching her carefully with their arms crossed while Isla looked down at her feet, tears falling down her cheeks.

Fishlegs immediately rushed to her side and put a hand under her chin, causing her to look up at him. Meatlug walked over and licked the girl upside her face and this brought a smile to Isla's face but didn't completely stop the flow of tears. Instead of looking at Fishlegs, she turned her attention to the dragon.

"Are you okay?" Fishlegs asked, unable to stop himself and the girl looked at him curiously as she rubbed Meatlug's cheek.

"I'm fine." She told him hesitantly and then put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you?"

Fishlegs smiled brightly as he said: "I didn't even get a scratch."

Terra took a breath before looking over at her first sister. "Skya, do you mind?"

Skya needed before walking back over and standing where everyone could see her. She began to spin her hands and the riders watched in curiosity as a small funnel began to form at her feet. The moment she stopped moving her hands, it disappeared leaving only a gentle breeze in its absence.

Tuffnut surprised the girls when he said: "That is so cool! Can you make it bigger? Better yet, can you give my hair a natural windblown look?"

Skya rolled her eyes but couldn't quite hide her smile. Terra shook her head before kneeling and placing her hands above a patch of dirt. A moment later, a rose bloomed that was a white with gold stained tips, something that wasn't native to the island.

"A beauty as rare as it's maker," Eret stated and Terra's cheeks stained red at the unexpected compliment.

She cleared her throat before saying: "I've missed them."

He smiled before leaning down and picking up the flower before placing it in her hair. She didn't meet his eyes but the smile that played on her face was more than enough to give away what she was feeling at that moment.

"What about you?" Astrid asked curiously as she looked at Isla. The tone wasn't disapproving but was still cautious.

Isla smiled before shrugging and saying: "Water is my specialty."

She then looked to the ocean and she raised her hand up, before twisting her wrist and the once calm sea rose up before crashing down into small waves. Fishlegs squealed in delight as he said "That's absolutely amazing. You are amazing!"

Isla now shared her sister's blush and Skya rolled her eyes. Her sisters looked at her and she was barely able to smother her giggle as she said: "You guys get compliments and I'm asked to style hair."

"That's Tuffnut for you. A moron who is only concerned with his hair." Snotlout told her and smiled: "Not too late to change your mind."

Skya snorted before leaning against Tuffnut. He stuck his tongue out at the smaller Viking before snickering. Ruffnut looked to Vesta and said: "If my assumption is right, and they usually are, you must be-"

"Not for display," Vesta growled as she turned towards the sea. She didn't turn back to look at the riders as she said: "Unlike my sisters, my ability isn't a gift."

Hiccup thought for a moment before remembering the conversation they'd had while flying only a few days ago. "You think that your ability is a curse."

Vesta didn't turn back as she asked: "How could I see it as anything else? It's a weapon that brings pain and chaos. Nothing more."

Hiccup walked forward and put a comforting hand on her shoulder as he said: "You saved my life only minutes ago. How can you say that?"

Vesta moved away from his touch and didn't look back until two pairs of footsteps joined them. Vesta turned around to see Valka and Gothi were the ones who'd come to find them. Valka's gentle smile was such an odd contrast to her warrior clothing and staff drawn but Vesta didn't make a move to defend herself.

Valka put her staff on her back before saying: "Son, I think it's best if we bring the girls to our home so that they can feel more at ease before answering any questions."

While the other sisters went with a little coaxing, Vesta stood hesitantly as she stared at the woman. Gothi gave a gesture with her staff to follow them and Vesta looked away from the Elder to the Chief. Hiccup's eyes were calm and almost pleading with the girl and she knew that he was asking her to just trust him.

He held his hand out to her and she reached her hand out but jerked it back before their skin could touch and decided to stand close to him. It still gave him the comfort he needed to know that she would follow him but didn't give her the unsettling feeling that happened when she touched him. She gestured for him to lead the way and the moment they started walking, she didn't distance herself from him but was careful to not come close enough to so much as brush his hand with her own.

It was going to be a long night.

 *****Well that's one secret out but that's far from the last one. Thank you for reading and I hope you guys enjoyed! Also, in case anyone hasn't seen, Dreamworks Twitter page mentioned releasing a trailer for HTTYD 3 next week so be sure to keep an eye out!**


	16. Chapter 16- Questions and Answers

The sisters refused to meet any of the villagers' eyes as they followed Valka back to the Haddock home. There was a guilt pressing down on each of them along with a fear that radiated off of them. This was the moment they had spent most of their teenage years preparing for and now that it was here, the sisters couldn't have felt more unprepared. They walked into the home and sat down on the floor of Hiccup's study but stayed close to each other so if things took a turn for the worst, they would not be far apart.

The Riders shared similar expressions as they followed the girls inside and left behind their dragon companions. It was only when Hiccup gestured for Toothless to stay outside that the Riders relaxed enough to follow them inside. The fear that they had were not from the girls' abilities themselves, but rather the possibilities of what could happen. They had actually accepted their strange abilities fairly quickly but the concern was what the sisters would do if they felt threatened in an enclosed space. In a small room full of Dragon Riders, the four sisters, Gobber, Valka, Gothi, and Eret, there was hardly enough room to stand, let alone fight.

The room was silent for a moment, neither group willing to break the silence for fear of the wrong word being said. Isla being the peacekeeper of the sisters decided to remind their group that the tension was unnecessary as she stood up from the ground and joined Fishlegs where he stood. The petite cyan haired girl laid her head against his large arm and yawned before asking: "So what kind of questions do you guys have?"

Valka spoke gently as she said: "You all seem to have quite a handle on your abilities. How long have you had them?"

Terra smiled sadly before saying: "We've had them since we can remember but we aren't exactly sure if we were born with them or if it was something else entirely. Mom was going to explain it to all of us when Isla turned eighteen but... she never got the chance."

"And what of your father?" Gobber quipped and Terra's face fell.

"The year that our mother died, our sister left and didn't return for four years. Our father left as well but no one has heard from him since." Skya told them as she put a comforting hand on Vesta's shoulder.

"Did you and your father travel together?" Fishlegs asked the redhead and she didn't say anything.

Isla laced her fingers with his as she said: "She didn't leave just because mom died. Dad said some things that he regrets but couldn't take back. We thought he was leaving to find her until we realized that he was going in the opposite direction."

Snotlout snorted before saying: "Wow, what an ass."

"For once, I'm in agreement." Vesta agreed but didn't turn her head to look at the group. She had suddenly found the fireplace behind her fascinating and had given it her full attention.

Ruffnut was the one who asked the question that everyone had been wondering since they'd walked through the doors of the Haddock home. "Why did you keep your abilities a secret?"

Vesta was the one to answer and surprised everyone when she reached her hand into the fire and pulled out a small portion of it at her fingertips. "People either see us one of two ways: weapons that can be used in war or unnatural creatures that need to be destroyed."

"Until now." Hiccup spoke for the first time and Vesta released the small flames back into the fireplace before looking back at him, her bright eyes watching him carefully.

What she was looking at was unclear but he could see a small smile pulling at her lips until she erased it from her features. "So you say."

"I think it's awesome!" Tuffnut finally said. Vesta looked at him curiously and he shrugged. "You have the ability to bend the elements to your will. What's not to like?"

The flames grew a little taller in the fireplace as Vesta said: "The pain of knowing that one slip up can cost you everything."

There was an unspoken question as to what she meant but there wasn't an answer to be found. Hiccup cleared his throat and asked: "Now that the secret is out, do you plan on leaving?"

"Do we have to?" Isla asked with a sad look in her blue eyes.

"That's up to you." Hiccup told the girl with a smile as she clung to Fishlegs. Terra leaned into Eret and Skya smiled up at the twins, more specifically, at Tuffnut.

Vesta stood up and crossed her arms over her chest as she looked to the chief. "Would you prefer us to leave?"

"I want you to stay." Hiccup told her quickly, not expecting his words to be so specifically directed at Vesta. He had meant to say that he wished all of them would stay but it was too late for that. "However, I would rather you all stay by your own choices."

Skya stood up and brushed her hands on her pants before putting an arm around Tuffnut before saying: "I rather like it here."

"What about the rest of you?" Astrid asked and Isla giggled as she leaned on Fishlegs arm causing the large Viking to blush.

"Do you even have to ask?" Terra stated as she looked at Vesta, whose expression was blank and completely void of any emotion.

Vesta stared into her sisters pleading forest green eyes before saying: "I have no intention of breaking my promise but we didn't agree for me to be here permanently. If I feel the need to leave, I don't want to be forced to stay."

Terra nodded before saying: "I understand, dear sister."

Skya and Isla said nothing but their expressions made it very clear that they wanted to argue with their sister. It had only been a year since she had rejoined their family and she was already beginning to ponder the idea of running again. Vesta could see the worried look on their faces and looked at the elder who was standing close to the door before smiling at her softly.

The elder opened the door and the girl took the chance to race out of the cramped hut to feel the sun on her face and the wind in her hair. Astrid rolled her eyes before looking at the sisters that remained. "What is with that?"

"Vesta has never liked being in one place for long," Terra told her with a shrug.

Skya leaned against Tuffnut before explaining further. "Even when we were kids she had a habit of running off when Mom and Dad had their backs turned.

Isla looked at Hiccup with a smile as she said: "She's probably on her way to the dragons."

"Actually, why don't you all go for a ride? Gobber and I can look after things here while you are away for a few hours." Valka told them with a smile.

It wasn't a moment later that Skya found herself being dragged by the twins to their dragon and she barely had her feet on the ground as they took her with them. She pulled out of their hands before putting her feet on the ground and getting into a running stance before the wind blew. She then took off faster than the rest of them could have dreamed as she used the air to give her a head start.

"That's cheating!" Ruffnut called but Skya didn't slow down for a second until she caught up with her sister.

"Slowpoke." She teased and Vesta grinned at her sister. They needed only to exchange a look before they began to race to the stables where the dragons now were.

While Isla often agreed with her older sister, she lacked the wild spirit that she held. Skya, however, was the one who longed for freedom just as much as Vesta did. They had been running since they were children, both for enjoyment and competition but they often had to call them ties.

They reached the stables after a few minutes and both stopped to lean against the wall to catch their breath. Skya couldn't stop herself from laughing as she noticed that Vesta's hair had come completely out of the long braid and now trailed down the back of her thighs in a windblown mess.

The others arrived a moment later and Terra giggled as she saw her sister fussing with her hair. "You should really learn to leave it down."

"Yeah, I'm good. There is too much of this mess to keep it down." Vesta said with a laugh as she gathered up the strands she'd missed when trying to pull it up earlier.

Astrid looked at her axe before saying with a bright smile: "I could cut it for you."

"The day I let you get that close to my head with an axe is the day I'm pretty sure I'll die. Plus, I kept my hair short for a year after I ran away. I'd rather deal with the mess."

"I understand that all too well," Ruffnut said as she ran a hand over one of her thick, blonde braids. "I'd rather keep the long hair."

"Are we riding dragons or braiding hair?" Snotlout asked as he climbed onto Hookfang's saddle.

The rest of the riders followed his lead and jumped onto the backs of their dragons. Fishlegs, being the gentlemen he was, extended a hand to Isla and smiled as he said: "Would you like to join me?"

Meatlug looked at the girl with an excited smile that caused Isla to laugh before saying: "How could I say no?"

Skya rolled her eyes before running towards Barf and Belch before easily getting herself off the ground and onto Belch's neck behind Tuffnut. Ruffnut laughed before saying: "Okay that was pretty cool."

Terra, much like Isla, waited until Eret held out a hand for her and only then did she climb onto the back of Skullcrusher. Toothless looked at his new companion and his rider before smiling his toothless grin and waiting for them to decide what they were going to do next. Hiccup was about to jump on and offer her help when she took a running leap and threw a leg over the saddle, landing perfectly.

She gave him a teasing grin before saying: "We're waiting on you, Chief."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and joined her on the Night Fury before patting Toothless and saying: "I think we should give her a couple of spins today, bud."

The dragon growled in laughter and Vesta rolled her eyes at the joke. It wasn't until they took off that she realized that it hadn't been a joke at all. The moment they reached the clouds, Toothless stopped flying and led them barrelling towards the ocean. It was only in that moment that Vesta wrapped her arms tightly around Hiccup's waist and buried her face in his back as the wind began to sting her eyes.

It was good that she couldn't see the Viking Chief's expression because the feeling of her arms wrapped around him made him smile brighter than when they had begun flying. Toothless straightened out right before they hit the water but continued to fly close enough that they could smell the salt of the sea. Hiccup put a hand over her's before saying: "Open your eyes."

Vesta did as he asked and leaned away from his back to look down at the ocean to see several different water creatures following them. She felt a familiar wave of pain wash over her as she looked at the water and memories of her mother began rushing towards the front of her mind. This time, instead of distancing herself from everyone she could, she decided to tighten her arms around Hiccup and lean into him to have the comfort of another person that she'd never made sense of.

While the other Riders stayed close to Berk, the three of them flew towards one of the smaller islands that allowed them just enough distance to have some privacy but still keep a watch on home. The moment Hiccup and Vesta jumped off of the Night Fury, he made his way along the beach of the island and attempted to catch some of the fish they could see swimming.

Hiccup sat down in the sand and watched as Toothless hunted the fish. Vesta looked back at the trees before deciding to sit with Hiccup and she sat close enough that she could have laid her head on his shoulder. She took a breath and breathed in the smell of the sea as she said: "I don't think I've sat on a beach since my mom died. "

"Vesta..." Hiccup started and she looked at him with a questioning look in her eyes. "Are you ever going to tell me?"

She bit her lip nervously before pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them to stare at Berk. She had wanted to tell him that it was none of his concern, that she didn't have to tell him if she didn't want to but what she said was: "I don't want you to look at me differently."

"I promise you, I won't." He told her sincerely and she let out a humorless laugh.

It was now his turn to look confused and she said: "You can't make me that promise."

"Actually, I can. If I can still look at Toothless as my best friend then I think I can handle whatever it is you have to say." He told her sternly, almost scoldingly.

Her rose pink eyes stared into his emerald green ones as she said: "I don't understand."

Hiccup looked from her to Toothless as the Night Fury succeeded in catching a fish as he explained. "Toothless was under the control of someone that wanted me dead for standing up to him and saving the dragons. He told Toothless to kill me but... my father stepped in front of the blast and took the hit. He died in front of me and Toothless' blast was the cause of it. Not because it was his choice but because like you said about your abilities, people see the dragons as unnatural creatures that need to be destroyed... or weapons of war."

"Hiccup, I'm so sorry." She told him as he pulled his prosthetic leg up to his chest, rubbing the metal and wooden piece. She took a breath before saying: "Toothless was controlled by someone though. I... didn't have that excuse."

He could see tears in her eyes but she made sure to not let them fall. All he could feel was the urge to comfort her but he knew that it wasn't a wise choice at this point in time. "Please... tell me."

Vesta sighed before beginning the story that would forever rip her heart apart. "When I was twelve, my family lived in this wooden home. It was beautiful but wasn't sturdy like it should have been. One day while my sisters and father were out in the village, the house caught fire. I still don't know how but it didn't take long for the flames to get out of control. The flames grew higher and higher while we were inside and I heard the sound of the wood breaking right as a part of the roof caved and crushed my mother's leg. She wasn't able to move and all I could do was watch as the flames engulfed her and hear her cry out in pain before the smoke smothered her."

Tears fell freely down the girls face now and Hiccup took her hand in his before saying: "Vesta, that wasn't your fault. You didn't set the fire."

"No, I froze and couldn't get the flames off of her. I might have been able to save her life if I hadn't been a scared, stupid child." Vesta wiped away the tears before saying: "Which is worse than if I'd set the fire in the first place. My father told me that mom dying was my fault, that he should have followed his instincts and sent me away when I showed signs of being able to control fire. He wasn't the only one who blamed me though. My sisters have never looked at me the same way since."

Hiccup didn't bother to fight his instincts anymore. He wrapped his arms around the girl and he was surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck. She cried softly into the space between his neck and shoulder as he ran his hands through her hair. He held her in silence for what felt like a lifetime as she let him see a part of her that she'd desperately tried to keep hidden. The fact that while she was strong and free, she could also be frail and broken was something she had never let anyone see.

Once her sobs had quieted down, he told her softly: "You were just a child. It wasn't your fault. There is nothing you could have done and you need to see that. As for your sisters, there is no question of how much they love you."

"How can you say that now that you know? How can you not look at me like the danger everyone else does?" She whispered just below his ear but didn't move out of his grasp.

He pulled back enough so that there was enough distance between them so she could look at him before placing a hand on her cheek. "You wouldn't be sobbing if you weren't hurting more than you let everyone know. Vesta, the only thing I see when I look at you is this amazing woman that lights up the world around everyone she meets. There is nothing about you that ever needs to change."

Vesta blushed deeply as she repeated the word: "Amazing? That's new and a little surprising."

"If you could see half of what I do, it wouldn't be so surprising." He told her as he brushed one of the strands of hair from her face to tuck it behind her ear.

Their eyes locked for a moment and Vesta felt her heart begin to race, unsure of what strange feeling she had as she looked into his eyes. Her throat suddenly felt dry, her breathing almost seemed too loud, and she couldn't help but bite her lip as she realized how close they were. His sweet smile was almost enough to make her forget the rules she'd set for herself and take a risk on him. Almost.

Instead, she pulled away from his grasp and cleared her throat. "We should head back. I don't want them to start to wonder where we are and worry."

"Okay..." Hiccup said hesitantly before looking at his Night Fury companion. "Toothless, I hope you aren't too full."

The Night Fury growled before running over and licking his Rider from chin to forehead, causing Vesta to giggle as she noticed that the spit caused his hair to stick up in the front. She put a hand on Toothless before jumping onto the saddle a moment before Hiccup did.

The moment they took off, she considered keeping her hands on the back of the saddle until she realized that her hesitations were unnecessary and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. They joined the Riders and with only a curious look from Isla, slipped into the rhythm of doing different riding formations with the group.

Knowing that things hadn't changed, despite the secrets that had been revealed, brought a feeling of comfort to the sisters. While she was able to forget about her fears for a moment, Vesta's mind wandered to the attack today. The sight of the armor that she had seen on her travels caused her to feel so distraught that even flying couldn't ease her worries completely. Terra's worried expression pulled her out of her mind long enough to remind herself that her worries were more than likely irrelevant, that the ship attacking Berk was an unfortunate coincidence and nothing more.

She hoped.

 *****Thank you guys so much for reading! I got inspiration to write after watching the trailer for HTTYD 3 and am not ashamed to say that I geeked out big time. Now I am counting down for the actual movie. Anyway, I hope you are enjoying the story and have a great day!**


	17. Chapter 17- Playing with Fire

Vesta's eyes shot open before dawn had ever shown signs of breaking. She quietly got up from the bed that she shared with Skya, careful not to disturb her and after seeing that Isla and Terra were still sleeping, she crept out of the Thorston home. She didn't bother to change out of the gown she wore or to put her boots back on as she gently closed the door behind her and raced to the dock, running past the village.

When she reached the dock, she fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around herself before looking into the water. Her nightmare wasn't one that was an unfamiliar one but she'd been able to smell the smoke, feel the heat from the flames, and see her father's piercing hazel eyes as if he were standing over her. Despite her desperate attempts to ward them off, her father's words whispered in her mind and she was unable to hold back the silent tears that fell down her cheeks.

It had been three weeks since they'd revealed their secret to Berk. It had been just as long since she'd told Hiccup what happened to her mother and she had pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind but they had managed to make themselves known again. She had hoped that with the truth out, that maybe her nightmares would stop all together but this had proven to be a futile wish.

She felt someone behind her but didn't bother to look at who it was. She almost hoped it was someone who had come to put her out of her misery but the person simply rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. It wasn't a familiar touch and this was what caused the girl to look back. She was surprised to find a friendly pair of blue eyes and a worried look come across the persons face.

"Did I wake you?" Vesta asked softly as she looked toward the ocean.

"Of course you did," Ruffnut told her as she plopped down on the dock next to her. "Figured you could use a friend. It's not exactly normal for someone to wake up and run out of the house in their pajamas before light like a crazy person."

Vesta laughed softly before saying: "I guess that would startle just about anyone."

"So," Ruffnut started before stretching out and laying back on the dock. "What brings you here?"

"I... had a nightmare and needed to get out." She told her, hoping she wouldn't press for details about the nightmare. As usual, Ruff just shrugged it off and didn't ask for what she assumed would be boring details.

"I can understand that. However, I am a little curious. You're the fire girl." Vesta arched an eyebrow at her, silently asking her to explain. She shrugged before saying: "Why run to the water?"

Vesta bit her lip nervously before looking into the water and seeing her reflection. A few strands of her hair had come loose from its braid and her eyes had dark circles under them where she hadn't slept good in a long time. "I can't swim."

"Isn't that more of a reason to stay away from it?" Ruff asked, exaggerating to make the statement more dramatic.

Vesta looked away from the water to the night sky before saying: "I have always had a hard time with control. Be it with my temper, my abilities, or the people around me. I guess it's comforting to know that when I'm near the water, I'm in control of whether or not I jump in."

Ruffnut sat up and gave her a confused expression before saying: "I'm still lost on why you would want to put yourself somewhere you know you can't get out."

"Fire can't burn in water. If I'm fully in the water, my abilities cease to exist and the idea is peaceful." She explained and didn't think before she added: "I fell into a lake when I was fifteen and would have drowned if it hadn't been for a few fishermen that were there. I can remember that no matter how much I struggled or how much fear I felt, my abilities wouldn't do me any good in that situation. It was the closest I've ever come to feeling... normal."

"Nearly drowning? That was your most pleasant experience?" Ruff asked and Vesta laughed lightly at her dumbfounded expression.

Vesta leaned away from the water before saying: "Well when you put it that way it sounds crazy."

Ruffnut snorted and lightly punched the girl in the arm. "I suppose your way made it sound all poetic and garbage."

"Of course," Vesta stated sarcastically and the girls shared a laugh before deciding to head back to their home before the others had a chance to wake up.

They walked quietly back to the house and were nearly out of danger of being caught when they heard someone clear their throat. Vesta jumped while Ruffnut groaned and turned to look at the stranger. "Can't you ever give someone the illusion that they might be getting away with something?"

"Not a chance." Hiccup stated before smiling coyly. "Besides, how do you expect to sneak around if you're giggling the whole time?"

Vesta bit her lip nervously while Ruffnut rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I'm going back to sleep. See you in a bit, Chief."

Vesta watched as Ruffnut disappeared into the house and could hear her grumbling even after the door closed. She then looked to Hiccup and pulled the black overcoat closer to her so that she could cover herself a little better. She then attempted to tuck the strands of hair behind her ear before realizing that she was acting nervous.

Hiccup smiled at her sweetly before saying: "Good morning."

"Morning," Vesta told him as she averted her eyes. "What are you doing up so early?"

Hiccup laughed before leaning against the door and saying: "I think as chief it's kind of my job to be awake and alert before everyone. It looks like you beat me to it today."

"Believe me, it wasn't by choice." She told him before putting a hand to the back of her head. "Funny how our dreams have a way of bringing the past into the future."

He looked at her hesitantly, unsure of what to say. The tormented look on her face was enough to tell him what she'd dreamt of and all he wanted to do was pull her away from that. He heard Toothless growl somewhere behind him and smiled as he thought of the perfect distraction.

"Would you like to help me in the forge today?" He asked and she gave him a curious look as she considered.

"As in help you make weapons? As in get dirty and possibly get a few cuts and bruises?" She asked with a disgusted expression and Hiccup started to regret saying anything. That is until a brilliant smile lit up her face and she squealed excitedly. "I'll go change right now."

Hiccup walked over to Toothless before looking back at the door the girl had disappeared into. "She's amazing, bud."

"Amazing huh?" Fishlegs chimed in as he and Meatlug landed next to Toothless. Fishlegs rubbed Meatlug's head before looking back at his friend and saying: "I think you might like her, Chief."

"I don't think I have a prayer this time, Legs." Hiccup stated as he leaned against Toothless. "It's going to take an act of Thor to get her to even consider giving me a chance. She's so guarded that I think she would run."

"Then thank the gods she has two and a half sisters that really like you," Fishlegs told him and when Hiccup arched an eyebrow, Fishlegs shrugged. "Terra likes you about four days of the week."

"I guess that's an improvement." Hiccup rolled his eyes and Toothless laughed and Meatlug licked Fishlegs' face.

Fishlegs wiped the spit away before saying: "Eret and Isla are working on her."

Seeming to be able to sense someone saying her name, Isla opened the door of the home and came running over to Meatlug and Fishlegs. She jumped up and kissed the Viking's cheek before saying: "Good morning."

Fishlegs smiled and rubbed his cheek where the blue haired girl's lips had been only a moment ago before saying: "Good morning, beautiful."

She blushed before looking at Hiccup and asking: "Are you joining us for a ride this morning?"

"Actually, I'm waiting on your sister. I asked her if she wanted to help out in the forge. I was a little surprised to see her leap at the opportunity." He told her with a nervous grin.

She smiled before saying: "I don't see how that would surprise you. I mean she absolutely adores-"

"Making weapons and getting into trouble." Skya interrupted as she walked out of the house with Tuffnut in tow. The twin yawned as if he'd been reluctant to get out of bed and ran a hand through his messy hair as he tried to wake up. Skya looked over at Isla and with a flick of her wrist, Isla's hair had been blown in her face.

Isla began pushing her hair out of her face and back behind her before pulling a piece off of her lips. "I'm so getting you back for that. Just wait till we are around the water again."

'"Would you two grow up?" Terra told the girls as she walked out of the door and suddenly stopped. She noticed that one of the stones that had been close to the twins' door was beginning to wither away. She knelt down and after running her hand across the stone, it was returned to its former glory. She thought for a moment before waving her hands and having a few yellow roses grow from the earth to give the house a touch of life.

"Good morning, Terra." The girls groaned and Fishlegs couldn't help but laugh.

"Good morning." Hiccup greeted her and she smiled at him. He couldn't help but feel a bit relieved that today was one of her good days. He looked to Tuffnut before asking: "Did you let Chicken sleep on your head again?"

"Don't I usually?" Tuffnut asked before looking at Toothless. "Hey, T."

The dragon grumbled and Terra looked between the two men before saying: "You sleep with a chicken on your head?"

"It's the only way to sleep." He told her and Skya rolled her gray eyes as she leaned against Isla.

Hiccup laughed before looking at the eldest sister and asking: "What are you and Eret planning for the day?"

"He may have mentioned something about a picnic in the woods." She said with a shrug but couldn't quite contain her smile.

"Terra's got a date." Skya and Isla said with dreamy voices and Terra looked below their feet. Skya jumped in time to miss the toss of the earth but Isla fell back as she lost her balance.

Isla got up and rubbed her butt but laughed as she said: "Didn't you just tell us to grow up?"

Vesta came out of the house a moment later, finishing up tying the thin black ribbon that held her braid together, and smiled at her sisters. She looked to her eldest sister with a wicked grin as she asked: "Did I hear something about a date?"

Terra stared at her in shock before rolling her eyes and saying: "You should try it sometime. Might actually give you a reason to stay."

"No, thanks. I'm off dating at the moment." Vesta told her sister curtly.

"How can you be off of something you haven't tried?" Skya asked with a shake of her head. Tuffnut laughed at the quick comment and would have usually made one of his own but it was way too early for smart remarks from him.

Isla shrugged before saying: "She has a point, you know."

"You know what else has a point?" Vesta asked before waving her hand and Skya grabbed her hair.

"You set my hair on fire, we will fight today." She called and Vesta couldn't help but laugh. Vesta hadn't used her abilities for anything except combat since her mother's passing and had sworn that she wouldn't use them unless necessary. However, as a child, she'd joined in on her sisters' pranks and often found it fun to set the ends of their hair on fire. Enough to burn the ends and make a point but not enough to cause permanent damage.

She walked the rest of the distance to Hiccup and Toothless before saying: "We'd better head over to the forge. Don't want to keep Gobber waiting."

Hiccup thought for a moment before looking behind him to see that daylight was beginning to spread over Berk and nodded. Tuffnut grabbed Skya's hand and said: "You're taking over for Ruff on Barf today. Already got permission."

"Oh, yay," Skya said nervously but followed the Viking without a fight.

Toothless made himself comfortable near the bucket of fish while Hiccup led Vesta to the steel that was used to make Berk's weapons. Hiccup was about to start explaining which materials were used for the weapons when he saw that she was looking at pieces of paper on a desk. He felt more than a little nervous when he saw that it was his designs for the flight suit, Inferno, and a few others that he hadn't gotten to yet.

"These designs are so detailed. I can't say I'm surprised though. You do seem to have an eye for noticing things that most people don't." She told him and blushed deeply as she recalled what he'd told her three weeks ago.

He smiled nervously before pulling a blank piece of paper out of the drawer and the charcoal he used for drawing out of its sheath. When she looked at him questioningly, he shrugged. "It never hurts to be prepared."

"I suppose not but what do you need a blank piece of paper for?" She asked and he gave her a nonchalant smile.

He leaned over the desk and sketched the outline of a blade before saying: "I'm pretty sure the daggers you have been using are just about on their last leg. Trust me, I should know."

Vesta couldn't help the giggle that escaped her and she tried to smother it by clearing her throat. She avoided eye contact for a moment before finally getting control of her laughter. When she saw that he had a mischievous grin on his face, she couldn't help herself. "That really isn't funny."

"Then why are you laughing?" He quipped as he continued to sketch.  
She put her hands on her hips before saying: "You are such an ass. I feel worse than I did that night Gothi had us carry those herbs up to her house."

"You mean the night you told me that you didn't think I could handle the stairs?" He asked and she rolled her eyes.

She stood next to him before leaning down to look at what he was drawing and saying: "So you're a sarcastic ass."

"I've heard that once or twice." He told her and put the charcoal down before gesturing to the place where Gobber had the materials already laid out to make a sword.

Vesta leaned down and placed her hands above the wood in the furnace before allowing the flames to leave her hand and light the wood so that the steel could begin to heat. She looked up at Hiccup with a nervous expression before saying: "At least I can light a fire right."

He laughed before returning to his work at hand and it didn't take long for the two of them to finish the sword. By the time the sword was ready to be cooled, the two noticed that Gobber had yet to show up and that Toothless had snuck out at some point.

"At least he can't get into much trouble." Hiccup stated as he sat down at the chair in front of the desk, rubbing his leg where the device had been pinching him for the last half hour.

Vesta looked between his face and his leg, able to sense his discomfort immediately. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I think this one just needs to be filed down a bit. I'm going to grab the spare real quick." He told her and she gestured for him to stay put.

He looked at her confused and her pink eyes were full of concern and compassion as she asked: "Where is it?"

"You don't have to-" He began but was quickly interrupted.

"Hiccup." She called before adding: "Where is it?"

He gestured to the shelf where some of Gobber's other trinkets were and she took only a second to retrieve the prosthetic leg. He was about to grab it from her when she knelt down in front of him to begin removing the other one, He was surprised to find that she knew how to remove it without causing him any pain. She gently ran her fingertips over the scarred tissue where his leg ended for a moment before placing the other prosthetic on.

When she was done, she noticed that his breathing was much faster than normal and then realized what she'd done. She looked up at him apologetically before saying: "During the four years I was gone, I spent six months taking care of people who'd lost their limbs in battle or in horrific accidents. I learned the best ways to apply the prosthetics and cause as little pain as possible."

"I'm just a little surprised. Most people don't handle... this. I hate for anyone but Gobber to help me with it." Hiccup told her and he could see that the concerned look in her eyes had only gotten worse. He quickly added: "I may have to make an exception though."

Vesta stood and ran a nervous hand through her hair before saying: "Old habits die hard."

He stood up and immediately felt the difference between the prosthetic he'd had on and the one he now wore. "Definitely going to have to make an exception. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Plenty. For instance, I can't keep myself out of trouble no matter how hard I try." She told him with a laugh and he looked into her bright pink eyes to see that the playfulness had returned so that the worry was now erased.

He saw that a piece of her hair had come out of her braid once again and tucked it behind her ear but moved his hand to her cheek to brush some of the ash off of her face. She leaned her cheek into his hand and seemed to lose herself in his touch, if only for a moment.

"Vesta..." Hiccup's voice was slightly shaky but not out of nervousness. He was worried that she would turn away and reject him at any moment.

Her smile put those fears to rest as quickly as they came and he found a boldness he'd never known as he leaned in slowly. The smell of her skin invaded his senses as he leaned in so that they were only a breath apart. He could feel her shaky breath against his lips but hesitated for a moment to give her time to back out. When he felt her tilt her head up, that was all the encouragement he needed.

"Chief, the council needs you for..." Gobber called but trailed off when he saw how close the two were.

Vesta quickly jumped away before saying: "I'll let you get back to your duties, Chief. See you both at dinner."

Gobber watched as the girl quickly raced out of the forge and then turned back to the young chief. "Sorry about that."

"Damn it." Hiccup growled as he ran a hand through his hair. He looked up at Gobber and added: "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, absolutely. Just Spitelout doing his regular complaining and his crazy ideas. Council needs you to remind him that not all of them are as great as they sound." Gobber told him before saying: "Now I really feel bad."

Hiccup laughed before saying: "Let's go get this straightened out."

The council meeting went as it normally did. Spitelout spouted off some chaotic idea that may or may not prove to be a good idea in the future, Snotlout and a few others sided with him, a few didn't, they argued, and Hiccup managed to convince them to compromise. Usually, he felt accomplished to solve their bickering and while it was still there, his thoughts went back to the fact that he'd nearly kissed Vesta.

More specifically, that she had seemed just as eager to kiss him as he was her. It was a strange thought but true nonetheless and the thought brought a smile to his face. When he looked to see Gobber annoying Gothi as his mother laughed, he prayed to the gods that he would have the courage to try to kiss her again and that they would be able to go through with it without being interrupted.

 *****Ah Gobber. Always walking in at the wrong moment. There is a picture of Vesta of vesta for this chapter on quotev if anyone wants to check it out and thank you for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18- Common Ground

Vesta had completely lost track of time and found herself racing back to the dining hall where everyone else was. She wasn't entirely sure how or when she'd ended up in the woods but had felt a strong need to have time alone with her thoughts after leaving the forge. She had scolded herself for an hour for nearly kissing Hiccup and then spent another hour asking herself why she hadn't. She was confused by how she was feeling and even more confused by the Viking chief. Animals didn't particularly like her, let alone people. That was something she'd known but Hiccup had done everything he could to get close to her and, for reasons she couldn't explain, she'd wanted him to.

She'd tried her best to push him away at first but he had made it perfectly clear that he wasn't going anywhere. Accepting the chance to get close to him had seemed harmless but she'd never expected to have more than his friendship. She'd thought that once he knew about her past, her abilities, and about her, he would see her as a threat and exile her from the island to keep his people safe. Instead, he'd accepted her and had seemed even more insistent that she stay on Berk.

They had gone through a cycle of untrusting strangers, distant acquaintances, close friends, and had ended up... where? He'd tried to kiss her but did he really care about her as much as he seemed to and had she unintentionally encouraged him? Her heart told her that his attention was far from unwanted but her mind did a damn good job at reminding her of why she didn't stay in one place for long. Though she knew her mind was right, there was no amount of logic that could explain why she had wanted him to kiss her while they had been at the forge.

She felt relief when she saw the doors of the Great Hall and stopped at the door to take a breath to compose herself, hoping that she could walk in and not be noticed. She could hear the sound of the Vikings talking inside and opened the door of the hall. She closed it behind her and felt confident in her sneaking ability as she made her way to the table. This hope was quickly disintegrated as she heard a familiar voice say: "We may be Vikings lass but we still expect people to be on time!"

Vesta turned to see Spitelout had been the one to call attention to the girl and as much as she wanted to throw herself under a table to hide, that just wasn't her style. "Judging from the mutton in your beard and your general size, I'd say that that's probably the one thing you've never been late for."

Gobber couldn't contain his laughter as it bellowed through the hall and it didn't take long for a crowd to join in. Spitelout glared at the girl but Vesta only smiled before turning on her heel to join her sisters. She turned to Snotlout to apologize but found him holding his stomach as he laughed.

He looked at her and said: "That was totally awesome. I think we might just have a chance to get along after all."

Terra rolled her eyes but didn't bother to hide the smile playing on her features while Eret laughed shamelessly. Isla covered her mouth to stifle her giggles while Fishlegs smiled at her, not hearing what had been said as he was too focused on the beautiful girl beside him. The twins didn't bother to even try to quiet their laughter and as much as Skya felt the need to tell them to be respectful to Spitelout, she bit her lip to keep from laughing as she looked over at the still stunned Viking.

Astrid glared angrily at the redhead but decided to be quiet against starting a screaming fight and instead took a bite of the apple. She wasn't angry over the comment to Spitelout because Odin knows someone needed to put him in place but because she'd heard the teen's voice.

Vesta didn't miss the glare and couldn't stop herself before asking: "Is he a relative of yours?"

"No." Astrid snorted before adding, "Why do you ask?"

Vesta shrugged before leaning back in her chair. "Just trying to figure out why you look like your ready to throw your axe at my head."

"I just don't like you." Astrid took a final bite of the apple before throwing the rest to the Terrible Terror that had been hanging around their table. "That's all the reason I need."

Vesta rolled her eyes but didn't say anything more. Snotlout had mentioned that Astrid was one of the most intimidating people on Berk but Vesta didn't see how. She'd watched Astrid train and gave the girl points for being a skilled warrior but that didn't mean that she would back down from a fight if given the opportunity. What had caused her to back down was not only the feeling of her sisters' eyes on her but also a glance where Hiccup and Valka sat with Gobber and Gothi.

Vesta had just sat down with her plate of fruit when Isla took the seat next to her and softly asked: "So why are you sitting over here?"

"Would you rather me sit and get cozy with Gustav?" Vesta asked in the same whispered tone. The girls shot a look at the young Viking, who was eating more than the four sisters combined had. He belched loudly and Vesta rolled her eyes. "I don't think I've done anything to deserve that kind of punishment."

"I don't mean with Gustav. I mean the other one." Isla told her and Vesta found herself unable to pass up the opportunity to tease her sister.

"I assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about." Vesta told her before taking a bite of one of the grapes.

Isla rolled her eyes but nudged her sister. "You know: tall, auburn hair, green eyes, rides a Night Fury, and is Chief of the tribe?"

Vesta pretended to think for a minute before shrugging. "Nope still doesn't bring anyone to mind."

"Vesta." Isla groaned before sinking her head to the table. "Please don't make me drown you. You're the one sister I have that actually lets me experience life. "

Vesta laughed but decided to give her sister a break and shrugged. "I figured I would give him some space. After all, you can only spend so much time with someone before you wear out your welcome."

"I don't think you could do that," Isla raised her head, and with a sly smile, added: "He likes you."

"Does he?" Vesta asked, trying to not let on that she knew. The way Isla made it sound so obvious made her feel uncomfortable about the idea.

Isla smiled at her before saying: "You can't tell?"

Vesta decided that an abrupt subject change was a better idea than actually facing what her sister had to say. "All I can see is how Fishlegs looks at you like he's seeing the stars for the first time."

Isla blushed deeply before saying: "He's wonderful, isn't he?"

Vesta nodded and turned to her other sisters to see that Eret was saying something to make Terra laugh, a sound that had become less strange since they had come to Berk. Tuffnut, trying his best at flirting, pushed his last piece of dessert to Skya with a playful smile. Ruffnut was wide-eyed at the gesture but quickly scarfed down her cake.

Isla looked back at Hiccup to see that his eyes were resting on her sister with a look of admiration and confusion. However, the moment he caught sight of Isla staring at him, he quickly averted his eyes and focused his attention back to whatever Gobber was saying. Vesta turned back but didn't get the same warm eyes her sister did. No, instead she received Spitelout's glare and held it for only a moment before looking away.

"I think it's safe to say that the next time your dad catches me alone, it's going to be a very bad day for both of us," Vesta told Snotlout with a laugh.

Snotlout laughed until he saw his father looking at him. He cleared his throat and said: "He's a Jorgenson. Pride has a funny way of getting the best of us. He's not exactly world's best father but he's a great Viking. He expects the same thing from me. Not that you would understand the struggles between a father and son."

"I'd understand more than you think." She told him with a reluctant sigh. "To keep it short, my father is thought of as a great war hero that has fought impossible battles for kings across the seas. He thought he would have a son to follow in his footsteps someday. When he didn't have one, he was disappointed but accepted it. After he saw that I was going to be his rebellious child, he decided that I would be the next best possibility."

"Is that why he reacted... how he did when you left?" Snotlout asked and Vesta was surprised to see that his eyes were sympathetic.

Vesta shrugged and calmly replied: "I'm sure that was one among the many that I know."

Snotlout thought for a minute before saying: "So I guess we do have something in common after all."

Vesta smirked at him before saying: "You're still an ass but at least we may have a chance to not kill each other."

"At least now when Astrid finally decides to come after you with an axe, I can say that I won't be entirely happy." Snotlout told her with a smirk of his own. The two couldn't even hold their glares before they began laughing.

Fishlegs laughed before saying: "Never thought I'd see you two getting along."

"What changed?" Eret asked with a curious expression.

Vesta shrugged and nonchalantly said: "We found some common ground. That's all."

"I'm still the better-looking one though." Snotlout added, using his regular Jorgenson charm.

"Now that I have to give you." Vesta snickered and Isla rolled her eyes before smiling.

"I think I'm going to have to disagree." Hiccup said as he took the seat next to her and she quickly looked down at her hands but this didn't stop her cheeks from heating up.

Ruffnut chuckled and Tuffnut smiled mischievously. "I personally prefer the more exotic beauties. Purple hair, for instance, is rare and very lovely."

Skya blushed deeply before fanning herself a bit. "Is it hot in here?"

Terra was then reminded of something as she looked at her sister. "Speaking of heat, how did things go at the forge?"

Hiccup was about to answer when Vesta coughed on the water she'd been drinking. She cleared her throat before saying: "It went great. He started a sketch to make the blades to replace the ones that I have. Apparently, they are starting to wear out."

"You've had them since you were eight. Nine years is pretty good considering how you go through weapons." Skya told her and Isla laughed.

Vesta looked to Terra and Eret before asking: "How did the picnic go?"

Terra smiled and instead of answering verbally, she touched Eret's cheek. He smiled softly before leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Terra then pulled away to smile at her sisters. "It couldn't have been more perfect."

"Aww!" Isla and Skya said in unison while Vesta just smiled.

Terra looked to her sister before asking with a teasing smile: "What's with the look?"

"It's just good to see you happy," Vesta's smile only brightened as she said the words. She then stood up and slid the plate that had a few pieces of fruit left on it to the Terrible Terror.

Isla got up and looped an arm through her sister's before turning to the riders. "Can we go flying before we turn in?"

Fishlegs smiled brightly before saying: "That sounds like a great idea."

Terra took Eret's hand and he pulled her with him as he stood before wrapping her in his arms. "A midnight flight sounds perfect."

Skya yawned before saying: "Sounds great."

"You sure your not going to fall asleep?" Ruffnut asked the girl with a laugh.

Skya chuckled before asking: "Is it even possible to fall asleep while flying?"

They all looked over at Snotlout, who groaned before saying: "It was one time!"

"While on patrol," Astrid stated as she rejoined the group. "As for the flying, it sounds like a great idea."

With the others in agreement, Isla looked up at Vesta with a curious expression. "Well?"

Vesta shrugged before sighing in defeat. "Anything for you, dear sister."

"Awesome, you can ride with me," Ruffnut said quickly and grabbed the girl's arm before taking off out the door.

Vesta let out a yelp as she was forced to keep pace with the girl. "Wait! What?"

"Oh, it's not that bad," Skya called as she raced after them.

Tuffnut laughed before having a quick realization that they might actually leave without him. "Ruff, don't even think about it!"

Isla put a hand to her forehead in frustration as she said: "That's so not what I meant."

"Come on. She's going to need saving. From the twins and possibly Skya." Terra told her before they both raced off.

Astrid rolled her blue eyes before saying: "Are you boys going to stand around and stare or are we going to go flying?"

Eret laughed before saying: "Considering Terra and Isla can't go anywhere without us, I don't think we have a say."

Snotlout snorted before saying: "Not to mention that Vesta's riding with Ruffnut. How long do you think it'll take before she jumps?"

Hiccup glared at him while Fishlegs said: "The odds of that not happening are very slim." There was something about the way that Fishlegs stressed that she would jump made Hiccup tense up.

They called to their dragons and once they were outside, they climbed onto the saddles and raced away from the Great Hall. Fishlegs and Eret dropped by to help Isla and Terra onto their dragons before taking off to the skies, while Hiccup looked to see where the twins had gone. Toothless growled as he saw their shadow overhead and Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief.

"We may want to stay close tonight, bud." Hiccup told him and Toothless growled in agreement. Toothless didn't need the girl to be with his rider to feel that she was uneasy about the idea of riding another dragon. He'd also grown attached to the fiery girl and it was clear to him that his Rider had as well.

Astrid flew above on Stormfly before giving a devilish smirk down and saying: "Surprised you're still up here. I thought you would have backed out by now."

"I don't back down from challenges, Astrid." Vesta had meant to respond calmly but the tone of her voice carried a different message entirely.

Astrid didn't give a reply but instead looked behind them before diving down and doing spins. Vesta looked back and was met with two pairs of green eyes, one of them centered on her. She turned to Ruff before softly saying: "I'm going to take my leave."

"Was wondering how long it would take you," Ruffnut told her with a laugh. Skya looked over and watched as her sister threw a leg over the saddle and slid off of it without a second thought. Skya didn't scream as she had the first time Vesta had done this only because she heard the comforting sound of wings diving after her sister.

Vesta didn't even have time to straighten out before a hand grabbed her arm and threw her around to the saddle. Hiccup looked back at her with a curious expression as he asked: "Dropping in for a visit?"

"The best surprises are the most unexpected." She told him as she wrapped her arms around him, no longer just for the security. She'd grown to like holding onto him as of late.

As much as Hiccup wanted to ask her about what had happened earlier at the forge, he decided to just enjoy the feeling of her arms around him while they flew with the other Riders. The content look on her face and the tight embrace gave him the comforting feeling that things were still okay between them. So instead of speaking and ruining the moment, he decided to enjoy the sound of the wind howling and the light from the moon.


	19. Chapter 19- Perfect

It was loud as ever in the Great Hall as the people of Berk gathered for the first meal of the day. The smell of freshly cooked bread and varieties of meat filled the Hall along with the sound of happy conversation from several groups of villagers. Terra had arrived, on time as always, and was sitting with Eret at the end of the table as he talked about how Skullcrusher always managed to surprise him by being able to make tight turns with ease despite his large body.

Skya decided to take a seat between the twins, not only to make sure they didn't steal the other's food but also because she had several questions about the travel guide she had found on the floor of their hut. Tuffnut interrupted her for the third time since she began talking and she gave him a clever smirk before leaning forward and placing a quick kiss on his lips.

When she pulled away, he was smiling like he often did when one of his pranks worked out perfectly. He couldn't help himself from saying: "Wow. If that's how you intend to keep me quiet then remind me to talk more often."

"No one wants to hear your voice any more than they have to." Ruffnut groaned and Skya giggled.

"No one wants to smell you either but we don't have much of a choice." Tuffnut quickly retorted and Skya rolled her eyes.

The twins started to argue and Skya quickly found that her nerves wouldn't be able to handle them arguing so early. A strong gust of wind, that affected no one else, suddenly caused the twins to fall back from their seats and topple to the floor. Skya picked up the travel guide before looking back at the twins and asking: "Now, do you two still feel like arguing or can we get back to the subject at hand?"

Tuffnut laughed before standing up and saying: "Of course, my beauty. I'd love to tell you all about my-" Skya arched an eyebrow and Tuffnut smiled sheepishly before saying: "I mean, our, travel guide."

Isla walked into the hall and was all smiles as she walked over to Fishlegs. She pecked his cheek before saying: "Good morning."

"Good morning." He told her with a sweet smile and offered her a piece of the freshly made bread from his plate.

She took it without hesitation before sitting down. "Thank you." She then looked to Terra and Skya before asking: "Where is she?"

"We thought she was with you," Skya told her with a groan and put a hand to her forehead, a headache starting to form already.

Astrid took a bite of her food before saying: "Typical. Have you thought about getting a ball and chain for her?"

"No." Skya and Isla exclaimed but a persistent "Yes," came from Terra's direction.

Astrid laughed at the older sister. While she didn't care much for the other sisters, Terra had been the one that was easier for her to get along with. Terra was actually the only sister that Astrid could hold a conversation with and not be annoyed by the end of it.

Hiccup had his eyes trained on the scene around him while listening to the girls talk about their sister. There were a few arm wrestling matches going on, groups of Viking men and women laughing, a group of children attempting to steal each other's food, and then the dragons having their own morning meals. He watched as Barf and Belch devoured their two buckets, Meatlug was eating the rocks that had been laid out for her by Fishlegs, while Stormfly and Toothless playfully tried to eat the other's food.

After spending their morning meal laughing and spending time with the group of dragon riders, Isla decided that it was time for them to find her sisters. Skya groaned before saying: "I may be changing my opinion about the ball and chain."

"Told you that you would," Terra said as she placed different pieces of fruit and some bread onto a plate that she could take with her. Isla eyed her sisters curiously and Terra rolled her eyes. "She's probably working on something and lost track of time. That's hardly a reason to let her starve."

Isla laughed before filling a cup with water and turning back to her sister. "I just didn't think that you cared so much."

"Ha ha." Terra's sarcasm wasn't the slightest bit hidden and Skya rolled her eyes at her sisters. She stood up and said: "Then let's go see if we can locate her."

"Anyone notice it's quieter than normal?" Astrid asked curiously and Tuffnut snorted.

Ruffnut looked around and then laughed as she said: "Gustav's not here. So it's much quieter."

Gobber walked over to the group of teens before grabbing the leftover food on Snotlout's plate and saying: "Valka went to check on them. They are down in the arena training if I remember right." Gobber laughed and turned to the young Chief with a teasing smile. "He said something about winning the girl over with his impressive skills."

Hiccup groaned and stood up to wave Toothless over. "Which means he's going to try and take her flying."

"That's a bad thing?" Snotlout asked with a confused expression.

Hiccup put a hand on Toothless' head before saying: "No one rides with him. So if she falls-"

"Or jumps," Astrid interjected and Hiccup's nervous expression only deepened.

"He could get her killed." He told them and the two walked to the exit of the Great Hall before Hiccup climbed onto the dragon to head towards the arena.

Once he arrived, he jumped off of Toothless and rushed to see what was going on inside the arena. Valka, hearing the sound of the landing knew that someone had joined her. She smiled when she heard the soft, but familiar, creak of her son's false leg beside his footsteps.

"Good morning." Valka greeted before turning her head back to what was going on inside the arena.

"Good morning." Hiccup told her but didn't stop until he got a clear view of what was going on. "Is everything okay?"

Valka laughed before gesturing to Fanghook with her hand. "He's taken a liking to her. Most of the dragons will like just about anyone but the Monstrous Nightmares seem to be almost drawn to her."

Hiccup observed the girl's watchful eyes as the dragon set himself on fire and then placed her bare hand on Fanghook's side. She pulled her hand away slowly and showed the dragon that the flames on his body had gone with her hand. She stretched out her arm and the flames centered in her palm where they met to make the shape of a rose before disappearing without so much as a cloud of smoke.

Fanghook looked at the girl curiously before looking at one of the targets set up in the arena and setting it on fire. She glared at the dragon before focusing her attention on the flames and gently curled her fingers until her fingertips touched the palm of her hand. With this gesture, the flames came off of the target and when she opened her hand up again, the flames disappeared and the only evidence left was the scorch marks on the target.

"The sisters' abilities are all incredible but she just seems to be more..." Valka trailed off trying to think of the right word.

Hiccup looked down at the girl, who'd yet to notice her audience, and didn't hide the admiration in his voice as he said: "Harmonious. She feels enough fear to respect for what she can do but enough trust to not be afraid of it when she needs it."

"While true, she also has a hate for it that none of the others share," Valka told him, a sad expression crossing her face.

Hiccup crossed his arms over his chest as he looked down at the girl. He'd explained to his mother why Vesta hated her abilities so much. Not to violate the girl's privacy, but because he'd been desperate for advice on how to help her heal. He had been able to understand her feeling of failure for not being able to save her mother because he had felt the same thing when his own father had died. The guilt of running away and not returning was something that he hadn't known how to deal with. That was the advice he'd sought from his mother.

Valka could see where her son's mind had gone and she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Time. That's what it takes to heal a broken heart."

Hiccup nodded but couldn't but run a hand through his hair as he said: "I know. I just wish I knew how much time it's going to take. For both of us."

"The pain of losing someone you love will never completely heal. Time just makes it easier to go on." She said before smiling as Fanghook pressed his head to the girl's in a gesture of affection. "There is peace in those around you."

Hiccup took a steadying breath as he looked at the girl but smiled when he heard screaming coming from the arena and saw her jump. Hiccup looked to his mother with a sarcastic smile before saying: "Not for the chief there isn't."

She laughed before leaving him to deal with whatever Gustav had managed to get himself into. She jumped onto the back of Cloudjumper and gave her old friend a smile before they headed to the skies instead of back to the Great Hall, longing for the familiar freedom that only came from flying. Hiccup watched as she disappeared into the clouds before looking to Toothless with a nervous expression.

Toothless gave his companion one long lick up the face to erase his flustered expression. Hiccup laughed before wiping the Night Fury's saliva on his sleeve and saying: "I know, I know. Still, whatever he's gotten himself into is probably his fault."

Toothless growled in agreement but they both walked into the arena anyway. Hiccup wasn't sure what he'd expected to see when he walked into the arena. Seeing Gustav with his head stuck in one the racks they used for weapons was probably the last thing that would have entered his mind. Vesta tried to smother her laughter but found it hopeless as she walked over to carefully remove the axes and maces from the rack before kneeling down next to him so that she was at eye level.

"So: did we learn anything?" She asked the teen as he unsuccessfully attempted to pull his head out of the rack.

Hiccup had to hand it to the teen that despite being in an embarrassing situation, he still tried his best at flirting with the girl. "That you have the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen?"

Vesta looked at the boy with a disgusted and unamused expression as she flatly said: "Well, if I had eaten breakfast I surely wouldn't have anything left at this point."

She turned and whistled to Fanghook, who came over and carefully grabbed the teen's feet with his teeth while Vesta attempted to shove his head out of the rack from the other side. They were successful after only a few minutes and Gustav rubbed his butt as he landed on the ground. Fanghook growled out his laughter until he turned to see the Viking chief and the Night Fury alpha standing in the shadows.

Toothless growled to get their attention and startled the girl so that she immediately went into a defensive position with flames glowing brightly in her hands. The moment she saw who the visitors were, the flames disappeared in her hands and she cleared her throat as she nervously ran a hand through her hair.

Hiccup laughed as he walked over to the girl and said: "We heard Gustav scream and figured I probably needed to see what he'd done to get himself in trouble this time."

"Here I was thinking someone had come to check on him out of the goodness of their heart." She teased, her hands on her hips and what Hiccup could have sworn was a flirty smile playing on her lips.

Gustav then jumped up and walked over to the two, trying to compose some of his pride. "Hey, Hiccup. I was just showing her some moves and letting her bond with Fanghook for a little while before I took her for a ride."

"That's exactly what I was afraid of. Gustav, the last thing you need to do is be distracted while riding a dragon." Hiccup scolded and Vesta couldn't help but notice the sound of authority in his voice. His face then softened as he looked to the teen with an amused smile. "There is still plenty left over from breakfast for you but I suggest getting there as quick as you can."

Gustav didn't argue. Instead, he jumped onto his dragon and rode off towards the Great Hall with a rather impressive speed as far as Vesta could tell. She then looked at Hiccup, who had an eyebrow arched at her. She shrugged before asking: "Why am I in trouble?"

"You disappeared without telling anyone... again. With Gustav of all people." He stated, annoyance and concern filling every word.

Vesta walked over to him and made sure that his eyes were trained on her's as she said: "Stop talking to me like I'm one of your villagers for you to boss around! I haven't been in one spot for more than three weeks since I was twelve so if I choose to leave, you can't keep me here. Also, I didn't come here with Gustav. I came here to sharpen my blades in peace when they showed up."

"Really and what about the flight that Gustav mentioned? Would you have gone?" He asked and didn't bother to hide the jealousy in his tone.

"That's what this is about?" She growled but seeing the look in his eyes, she decided to let the fight go and simply stated: "The only person I trust to fly with is you."

He had been prepared for any reply... except that one. After a moment of consideration, he realized that anything he could say at that moment was going to make him sound like a complete ass. Instead, he settled for words that were sincere but didn't make up for the argument. "I'm sorry."

A soft smile graced her features as she placed a hand on his cheek so that he would look at her. "I'm not leaving unless I have to, Hiccup. Please, try to trust me."

"It's not trusting you that's the problem. I don't want you to leave without saying goodbye." He leaned his face into her palm and closed his eyes as he softly repeated: "I don't want you to leave."

Vesta's mind was screaming at her to run as fast as she could, board the ship she'd come to Berk on, and not look back as the wind hit the sails but it was her heart that won the battle this time. She prayed to the gods that she wouldn't get attached to him but it seemed as if her prayers were being ignored as she raised her other hand to touch his face. His bold green eyes met her soft rose-colored ones that held a question for him as her thumbs gently ran across his high cheekbones. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to her's before wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her small body against his. She could feel her heartbeat picking up and she was almost worried that it may stop when he finally pressed his lips to her's.

"Vesta!" Her eldest sister called, causing the two to break apart. They were in the small opening of the arena and therefore hadn't been spotted yet. With the moment lost, she removed her hands from Hiccup's face and he unwrapped his arms from around her waist with a disappointed look in his eyes.

She laughed softly before saying: "Apparently my sisters have a horrible sense of timing."

"That's twice now." He said, barely above a whisper. He couldn't hide his playful smile from her but she only returned one of her own as she laughed softly.

"Well, you know what they say: third time's a charm." She told him before leaning forward and placing a kiss on his cheek.

It was quick and innocent but that didn't stop his heart from feeling like it was going to beat out of his chest. While her face only held a collected smile, Vesta's heart was beating just as wildly and she felt the strong urge to press her lips to his skin again. It was a foreign feeling to her but she quickly found that it wasn't at all unpleasant.

She'd seen Isla kiss Fishlegs' cheek several times and she found herself thinking about the kiss she'd seen between Eret and Terra just last night. She lifted her hand to touch the place on his cheek where her lips had been before gently tracing his jaw with her fingertips until she grazed the scar on his chin. He watched her carefully as she used her thumb to brush over the scar again and he suddenly felt very aware of every imperfection on his body.

"One of many." He told her with a nervous chuckle and he could feel Toothless' eyes on them while Vesta studied his face. He attempted to deflect his nervousness with humor as he added: "Not to mention a missing leg."

She looked from the scar on his chin to his breathtaking green eyes and gently whispered: "You're perfect."

He wasn't entirely sure how she could say the words without a doubt but the statement made his heart skip a beat and he felt his cheeks flush at the compliment. She cleared her throat and let her hands fall by her side before backing away from him. He was about to ask her what was wrong until he heard footsteps approaching.

"There you are," Skya said as she walked down into the arena. Vesta looked to see that Isla had a mug of water in her hand and Terra handed her a bowl of food that she took without hesitation.

Vesta took a bite of the bread and the headache that had been starting to form went away as she ate. She laughed nervously before saying: "Thank you. I think this is probably why I was getting a headache. The other half anyway. Pretty sure it started when Gustav found me."

Hiccup laughed and seemed to be at complete ease until the sound of wings were heard from above. They didn't have to wait even a moment before seeing that it was Astrid who'd been flying above them. The moment Stormfly landed on the ground, Astrid expertly slid off the dragon before walking up to the group. She didn't so much as glance in the sisters' direction as she said: "The traders are here and want to speak with you about some new merchandise that has come in, along with the food and other supplies of course."

"That's great." Hiccup said enthusiastically and Astrid arched an eyebrow at him in curiosity as he quickly jumped onto Toothless's back. "I asked about some new materials to use for handles on a couple of blades I've been designing."

Astrid couldn't stop herself before she asked: "What's wrong with the material we have?"

He didn't answer her as Toothless growled lightly before taking off and towards the docks without so much as a look back at the women that were standing in the arena. Isla couldn't but laugh at the blonde's annoyed expression until Astrid cut her off with a glare.

She looked at Vesta and an annoyed expression crossed Astrid's face. "Do you think you can actually be on time for lunch or would you like me to send someone to get you?"

"I'm pretty sure I can manage without a babysitter. Don't you have something that you need to do?" Vesta growled back and Astrid felt her fist clench involuntarily as the girl spoke.

Anyone could have sensed the fight that was close to breaking out. Terra seemed to be the only one who intended to do anything to avoid it. She put a hand on Astrid's shoulder and quickly asked: "Is there any chance you could take me to the merchants? Eret's busy and I'm in desperate need for a material that I can't find anywhere on the island."

Astrid raised an eyebrow at the girl, unsure if she was trying to distract her or if she was in earnest. Whatever the reason, she sighed before walking to Stormfly and jumping onto the back of the Deadly Nadder. "We don't have all day."

Terra smiled gratefully until she turned and punched Vesta in the arm. Vesta put her hand over the sore spot before asking: "What the Hel?"

"Would you please try to stay out of trouble and stop picking fights?" Terra growled before walking over and hoisting herself onto Stormfly. Once Astrid was sure that Terra was securely on the dragon, Stormfly took off out of the arena.

Once they were out of sight, Skya giggled softly. Vesta turned and tried to ignore her curiosity but couldn't as she asked: "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just telling Isla that Hiccup looked a little flushed when he left. That couldn't have anything to do with you, could it?" Skya didn't bother to hide her smirk and Isla giggled softly.

Vesta rolled her eyes but Isla stepped in front of her before she could walk off. "Just admit that you like him. You shouldn't be embarrassed about it. He is kind of cute for a one-legged, tall, dragon rider that also happens to be chief."

Vesta crossed her arms over her chest and pressed a hand to her forehead as she cleared up Isla's information. "I'm not embarrassed about it. I just... don't really know how to handle it. Settling down isn't my ideal plan. I'm content to be on my own."

"I'm sure that is exactly the reason you jumped off of Barf the other day just to ride with Hiccup," Skya stated with a snort.

Isla giggled before saying: "Let's not forget about you spending an awful lot of time alone with him, especially at the forge."

Skya smiled wickedly as she looked at her sister. "Then there's the fact that you blush when he looks at you or even when someone says his name."

"I think Gothi's calling me. See you around lunch!" Vesta told them as she bolted from the arena, not letting her sisters have the victory of seeing the blush that lit up her cheeks.

Isla looked to Skya with a confused expression. "Does Gothi talk?"

"Nope." Skya stated and let the "p" pop when she said it.

The girls giggled as their sister had needlessly confirmed their suspicions before heading off to find their own men.

Meanwhile, on the docks, Hiccup was looking over the leather material that he had asked one of the traders about. The trader he'd asked about the material anxiously waited for him to say something as the large built woman observed his actions.

He smiled and immediately eased her worries by handing her a few gold coins. "Thank you, Millicent."

"May I ask why one would need such lovely material? It's guaranteed to last a lifetime but why only the material? A blade would have been much less costly." The brown eyed woman said and gestured to a small display of blades.

Hiccup didn't even blink in the direction of the blades as he looked down at the material and felt the smooth, cool leather in his hands. "It's a gift, actually. The design is one of my own but I wanted it to look nice."

With a quick goodbye, Hiccup left Millicent to tend to her other customers and his next destination was the forge. Toothless walked beside his companion quietly as Hiccup continued to look down at the material, imagining the different styles of handles he could create with it. It had to be perfect though.

He walked into the forge and began to take off some of his armor so that he was left in his long sleeved tunic and leggings before grabbing the blacksmith apron that he kept hanging by his desk. He then grabbed the piece of paper with the sketch of Vesta's blades on it and began to draw sketches of different handles as he looked at the original. He was so fixed in his work that he hadn't heard Gobber come in and jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Sorry, lad. I didn't mean to startle you." The blacksmith said with a laugh as he looked over the chiefs shoulder. "Now that's a beauty. Going to take about a week or so if you can get the design head on. Probably more if you mess up a few times."

Hiccup laughed as he put his charcoal back to the paper. "Let's hope I hit the design head on then. I'd like to get it done before Snoggletog."

"Oh, and why's that?" Gobber asked as he looked to Grump, who lit the oven for the forge. Gobber then looked back at Hiccup to see him smiling nervously and the older Viking snorted. "Vesta really caught your eye, didn't she?"

Hiccup turned back to the drawing and his eyes followed the charcoal to make sure that it was the exact design he was picturing. "Isn't it obvious?"

Gobber shrugged despite the younger Viking not being able to see it. "Did you ever get the kiss?"

Hiccup couldn't stop his smile as he placed a hand to the spot where Vesta had kissed his cheek earlier. "It almost happened this morning in the arena. We kind of lost the moment when her sisters called for her."

"Well," Gobber thought before grabbing the material he needed to make a sword. "You get those blades to look and act like the work of art you have there," he gestured to the drawing "and I would be surprised if the girl doesn't kiss you in front of everyone. Who knows, maybe a little more will happen in private."

Hiccup's charcoal slid across the paper as Gobber finished speaking and he looked back at the blacksmith with a stunned expression. "That's not- there is- I... Gobber, isn't there a shield that needs to be repaired before we get started on the new swords?"

"You are right about that one." Gobber told him and went to the back to find the shield.

Hiccup did his best to erase the blush from his cheeks as he heard Gobber throwing different weapons around to locate the shield. When he felt some of the heat from his cheeks fade, he took a deep breath and returned to his sketch. He groaned when he saw a giant line had been dragged across the center of the page from where he'd jumped earlier. He balled up the piece of paper and set it to the side before starting on a new sketch of the handle. He was relieved to feel his blush fade as he concentrated on his work while Gobber hammered out parts of the shield that needed to be prepared. The silence was only interrupted by the occasional dragon growl or the sound of the fire crackling.

 *****Thank you to everyone for the follows and favorites. I hope you are all still enjoying the story and thank you for reading. Have a great day!**


	20. Chapter 20- Happy Snoggletog

A holiday is usually greeted with the sound of laughing and most people wake with a sense of excitement. This is what Tuffnut expected when he decided to surprise Vesta, who was still sleeping at lunchtime. Tuffnut lowered himself down to her ear before yelling: "Happy Snoggletog!"

Vesta woke with a start and before her mind could register who it was that had startled her, her fist connected with Tuffnut's nose. She gasped in surprise as she quickly said: "Sorry about that."

"I'm hurt, I'm very much hurt." The male twin cried out as he held his nose.

Ruffnut raised her arms up in celebration as she said: "Best Snoggletog ever!"

Vesta climbed out of bed and ran a hand through her hair nervously before saying: "I lived in some very questionable places the four years I was gone. It's instinct to reach out and attack whatever startles me anymore." She then added, "Sorry, Tuff."

"It's okay. Your sisters are waiting for you in the Hall, along with lunch and the rest of the tribe." Ruffnut told her, not bothering to even fake concern for her sibling.

Vesta ran to the trunk that held her clothes as realization dawned on her. She quickly threw some clothes on the bed with one hand and attempted to comb her hair with the other as she asked: "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"

"I'm never waking you up again," Tuff told her as he rubbed his nose that, thankfully, wasn't broken.

"Stop being such a baby," Ruff told him and threw a pillow at him before looking at Vesta. "If you want some food, I suggest hurrying."

Vesta wasn't the least bit concerned about the food as she shoved the twins out of the house to get dressed. She was more concerned about the fact that she'd slept till noon on one of the Vikings few holidays. She dressed hurriedly and twisted her hair before grabbing one of her ribbons to hold the bun she had made in place.

When she walked out of the twins' home, she was relieved to see that Tuffnut was no longer rubbing his nose and decided to make it up to him. She walked over and hugged him quickly before softly saying: "Happy Snoggletog."

"You're forgiven. Do you think Skya will like this?" Tuffnut asked as he showed the girl a leather-bound journal. "I made it myself."

"Tuff, she'll love it," Vesta told him with a reassuring smile. "She then looked to Ruff. "What about you? Got a special someone you have a gift for?"

"I'd hardly call Snotlout a special someone but..." Ruff trailed off and Vesta looked at her with wide eyes. "What? I just put his initials on his hammer."

"Nothing," Vesta shrugged before laughing softly. "I just thought that you hated him. Hiccup said you buried him alive once... or twice."

"Four times to be exact. However, that's just me." Ruff told her as she watched Tuffnut walk towards the Great Hall on his own.

Vesta waited until she was sure that he was out of earshot before saying: "You like him, don't you?"

Ruff snorted before saying: "Snotlout? Yeah, right. I'd rather see him barbequed than talk to him for a long length of time. Okay, maybe a little." Ruff held up her fist as she said: "If you tell anyone, I'll throw you in the ocean."

Vesta laughed before walking past her and saying: "Your secret is safe with me."

The girls then walked to the Great Hall together and Ruffnut quickly rejoined her brother before stealing a sweet roll off of his plate. Vesta laughed at the exchange but it was quickly cut off as she caught Spitelout's glare. Vesta rolled her eyes but straightened up when she saw Valka walking towards her.

The girl was on the verge of giving an apology when the older woman wrapped her arms around her in a hug. Vesta returned the embrace as Valka laughed. "Happy Snoggletog, dear. I hope I didn't startle you too much."

"Not at all." Vesta's smile was genuine as they broke out of their friendly hug and she looked around to see that almost all of the Vikings were gathered there. It was strange not seeing anyone with their dragons but the group of Riders had explained that Snoggletog was also the time when the dragons left for their mating season. All of them, except Toothless.

"Hiccup and Toothless are doing one last patrol of the island before they join us for lunch. He's the only one with a dragon and chief so that falls to him. So, you aren't technically late." Valka told her with a mischievous smile and Vesta blushed deeply.

She then shook her head before giving a sly smile. "Well, at least I won't have to fix my hair for a while. Toothless has gotten to where he licks me every morning."

"He likes you," Valka stated before clearing her throat. "I'd like to show you something."

Vesta simply nodded as she followed Valka over to the wall where several portraits hung of men and what she assumed were their sons. She eyed each of the pictures carefully, taking in every detail of the portraits.

"These are the portraits of the past Chiefs and their sons. Each unique in their methods of leading the people and their outlooks on life. However, the looks of pride as they stood next to their sons is striking." Valka explained as they passed the portraits until she came to the final one.

Vesta looked at the portrait and smiled softly before saying: "I see the resemblance."

"I wish I'd have been here to see him find that treasure. I missed out on a lot those twenty years I was gone. I would do it all again though for those last few moments we had together." Valka's smile turned sad as she stared up at the portrait.

Vesta felt a familiar pain in her heart as she asked: "Do you ever wonder what could have happened if you had made different decisions?"

Valka put a comforting hand on her shoulder before saying: "No, I made the decision to keep my eyes on today. I have my son and that's more than I thought I would ever have again."

Vesta continued to look at the portrait as she said: "That doesn't make the loss any easier though."

"No, it doesn't," Valka told her before smiling at the portrait again. "I still see Stoick in him though. They may not look alike but they share similarities in stubbornness, defiance, pride, and sarcasm."

"They have the same mischief in their smiles," Vesta said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Valka laughed as she noticed what the girl meant. "That they do. What of you and your sisters? Do you favor your mother or your father more?"

Vesta ran a nervous hand through her hair. "Neither actually." Valka's look was curious and Vesta decided to explain further. "The... abilities that we have affected our features. Even Terra, who is the most normal looking of all of us, looks nothing like our parents. My mother had black hair and golden eyes while my father had blonde hair and brown eyes."

Valka thought for a moment before saying: "She'd be proud of you. A mother's love is unconditional, no matter the situation."

Vesta looked away from the image on the wall for the first time since seeing it and turned in time to see Valka join the table where Gothi and Spitlout sat. She looked at the previous Chief's portrait and gave a respectful nod before walking away to join the rest of the crowd.

Gobber was wearing a helmet adorned with decorations for the holiday and wrapped an arm around the girl. "Glad to see you could make it. Are you hungry?"

The moment Gobber extended the leg of mutton to her, Vesta could feel her stomach start to turn and shrugged out from under his arm as she said: "No, you enjoy it."

Ruffnut took a bite of her food before saying: "She doesn't eat meat, Gobber."

"Unless he was just trying to make her sick on Snoggletog. That would be ruthless." Tuffnut told Gobber with an approving look.

Skya rolled her eyes before saying: "Gobber would never do something like that. He's too sweet."

Tuffnut wrapped an arm around her before rubbing his nose with her's. Vesta smiled brightly as she saw that Skya was holding the journal that Tuffnut had shown her only a little while ago.

"Puh-lease. If he really wanted to make her sick, he would have given her some of Astrid's yaknog." Snotlout said, rolling his eyes and slightly paling at the mention of it.

"Yaknog?" Vesta asked questioningly but she didn't pay any attention to the explanation as she watched Isla jump up and kiss Fishlegs behind their group.

The Viking blushed and ran a hand through his hair as Vesta heard him say: "Happy Snoggletog, Isla."

"Will you help me put it on?" Her youngest sister asked excitedly, her blue eyes gleaming with joy.

"Anything for you." Fishlegs took what was in Isla's hands and placed a necklace over her head.

Isla smiled brightly and Vesta was able to see that the necklace was a simple white rope with a single pearl on it that hung just below Isla's throat. It was a beautiful piece and Vesta had no doubt that Fishlegs had looked for the pearl himself to find the perfect one. Isla touched the pearl lightly as she said: "It's perfect."

"You really are," Fishlegs told her and Isla blushed deeply before leaning forward and kissing him again.

Vesta was pulled back when someone licked her ear and she turned to see Tuffnut behind her. "Okay, gross."

"Well, you weren't listening." Snotlout told her and Vesta smirked before gesturing her hand for him to explain. He rolled his eyes before crossing his arms over his chest. "Why don't you just try it and find out?"

She knew she would regret the decision but she decided that it was time for her to put forth some effort with Astrid. She walked over to where Astrid was conversing with one of the other Viking women and surprised her when she took a mug.

"What are you doing?" Astrid asked as she raised an eyebrow at her.

Vesta took a breath before saying: "Call it a peace offering. I'll drink the entire mug, right now, if you agree to be a little nicer to me. I'll even teach you some moves I learned while I was away."

Astrid took Vesta's hand and shook it once before deciding that there was no way the girl would be able to do what she'd said. "Deal."

Vesta took a deep breath before tilting the mug back and the group of Riders, as well as a few other Vikings, watched in amazement as the teen quickly drank down the entire mug in only a few seconds. The girl had downed the revolting drink in a matter of seconds but hadn't spilled a drop and was still perfectly clean as she sat the mug down. Astrid looked at her expectantly while the other Riders searched for any signs of tears or nausea.

"You know," Vesa thought for a moment before shrugging. "I've definitely had worse. I do expect you to hold up on your end of the bargain though."

Astrid surprised everyone by actually smiling at the girl and saying: "Happy Snoggletog, Vesta."

"Happy Snoggletog." Vesta returned with a warm smile. Astrid then returned to her conversation with the Viking woman and Vesta walked over to where Eret and Terra were sitting with their hands joined on the table.

"Hey." Terra greeted her and Vesta smiled as she noticed the gold band that was residing on her sister's wrist.

"Hey, Terra." Vesta greeted before smiling wickedly. "Well, it seems that you now not only have a very nice looking Viking but one with good taste as well."

Terra blushed and Eret simply rolled his eyes before leaning in and kissing her. It wasn't a simple peck but rather a passionate kiss that took Terra's breath away and caused her to forget about her sister's presence... until Vesta cleared her throat. When Terra turned to look at her, she was met with a smirk.

"It's from his dragon trapping days. He said it was the most beautiful piece of treasure he'd ever come across." Terra told her as the gold band shined in the candlelight.

Eret wrapped his other arm around Terra before saying: "Until I met you, it was."

Vesta smiled and could see that they were once again lost in each other's eyes. She slipped away quietly so that there wasn't even a chance of them noticing her leave. She looked back to see the two kiss again and felt her cheeks heat up but her heart swell as she saw her sister truly in love.

She walked over to the Riders to see Snotlout drinking a mug of Astrid's yaknog while Ruffnut said: "Oh, come on. Vesta acted more like a man than you are."

Snotlout was on the verge of vomiting but kept going due to Ruffnut's taunting. Vesta watched as Snotlout forced down the yaknog mug after mug so she decided to join in on the cheering. She was so focused on the drinking that she had failed to notice the doors of the Great Hall open or the sound of a dragon growling.

She jumped when she felt a hand touch her own until fingers entwined with her's. She stopped watching the drinking match and turned around to see the Viking chief smiling down at her. He gestured for her to follow him and she let him pull her away from the crowd and out of the Hall.

She let him lead her to the forge while Toothless stayed behind to eat the fish that had been set out for him, meaning that they were completely alone. He let go of her hand so that she could lean against the table where he usually did his sketches as she looked up at him.

"How was your patrol?" She asked with a nervous smile.

"It went well. Nothing out of the ordinary." He told her as he ran a hand through his hair. "What about you? What were you up to while I was gone?"

"Well," Vesta smiled sheepishly. "I punched Tuffnut in the face by accident and spent some time with your mom."

Hiccup laughed at the unexpected remark. "Really? What did you two have to talk about?"

Vesta crossed her arms over her chest before saying: "She... showed me the portrait in the Hall of you and your father."

Hiccup's cheeks flushed lightly. "Did she?"

Vesta nodded before saying: "You were kind of cute as a teenager actually."

"Yeah, right." He told her before a soft smile touched his features.

She looked down at her hands as she said: "The Haddock name must be a Hel of a thing to live up to."

"I'm trying." He told her as he leaned against the table beside her.

She surprised him by twining her fingers with his once again and let him feel the comfort from her touch as well as the soothing words from her voice. "He's proud of you, Hiccup. There is no doubt in my mind."

Hiccup clenched her hand a little tighter in his own as he felt his heartbeat pick up. He decided to cover it up by asking her a question that he'd been wondering for a while. "Speaking of family names, you never told me yours."

Vesta took a steadying breath before looking so she could see his eyes. "It's Dawnstriker."

His facial expression didn't change a bit as he looked at her but his eyes showed that he knew the name. Rather than trying to play it off like nothing, Hiccup ran his thumb over her hand as he said: "I didn't know Charon had any children."

"He... hasn't ever been very well liked. Mom thought it would be better if they kept us a secret rather than to tell the world that one of the greatest generals on the seas had four daughters with the abilities to influence the elements. Not that we go around bragging about it." She explained and Hiccup tightened his hold on her hand a little more to help her calm.

"Dawnstriker or not, your you and that's what matters." Hiccup told her in an attempt to comfort her before saying softly: "It sounds like she was an amazing woman. I wish I could have met her."

Vesta surprised herself by saying: "She would have loved you."

"You know," He looked around to face her fully so that he could put a hand to her cheek. "I think my dad would have loved you too."

Vesta blushed lightly before looking away and Hiccup dropped his hand. "Thanks."

Hiccup felt his heart jump into his chest as he said: "I have something for you."

Vesta looked back up at him with a curious stare before saying: "Hiccup, I'm not great with gifts. Receiving or giving, unfortunately."

"I think you'll like these so don't burst my bubble just yet." He told her as he walked over to the shelf and pulled down a long package wrapped in cloth covering. He set it down on the table before running a hand through his hair. "I'm not much for wrapping but it's enough to keep it covered."

Unable to banish her curiosity, Veta began to unfold the cloth wrapping and gasped in surprise when she saw two daggers gleaming in the light of the fire. The handles were a smooth, dark leather that was soft to the touch but sturdy as well. The blades were sharpened to perfect points and had designs of flames in the centers, making the blades truly her own.

"Hiccup..."Vesta said softly, unable to tear her eyes away from the beautiful craftsmanship in front of her. "I don't know what to say."

"Most people say thank you." He told her with a smirk.

She smiled at him as she thought for a moment before coming to a conclusion. "Thank you. Now, hold up Inferno."

Hiccup raised an eyebrow but didn't hesitate to pull the sword from its sheath. Vesta removed the canister of Monstrous Nightmare gel from the sword before placing her fingertips on the blade. She then backed away from the blade and gestured for him to press the button to ignite the sword.

When the blade glowed with bright flames, he looked at it in amazement before saying: "Well, that is bound to come in handy."

"No more Monstrous Nightmare gel required as long as I'm breathing," Vesta told him before tucking a strand of hair that had fallen behind her ear. "It's not much of a gift but I hope it'll do."

"Thank you." He told her sincerely as the flames disappeared, allowing him to sheath the blade.

"There's something else too." She told him and he eyed her carefully. "You'll have to close your eyes for this one though."

He was going to argue that she didn't need to give him anything else until he saw the look in her eyes. He then closed his eyes and, after a few agonizing moments of anticipation, felt her lips press to his. She pulled away after only a moment and he couldn't help the shaky breath that escaped him.

"Oh my gods." He breathed and put a hand on her face. "Is this real or am I dreaming?"

"You dream of me kissing you?" She asked with a sly smile.

He didn't bother to deny it as he said: "Every night."

"I told you: third times a charm." She then gave him a mischievous smile and said: "If you aren't sure, you can always see for yourself."

He smiled before putting his hands on either side of her face and leaning down to brush his lips against her's. His kiss started off gentle but after waiting so long and finally having it happen, he couldn't help but get a little carried away. He let his hands go to her waist and pulled her close before gently nipping her bottom lip. She gasped in surprise and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss. She didn't seem to mind as she wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing as little space between them as possible. They weren't sure how long they kissed but she was the one to pull away to breathe. She looked up at him with a smile before pressing her lips to his again. One kiss was all it took for her to form an addiction to his lips and she knew that she would never get enough.

The sound of someone clearing their throat caused them to pull away. A blush covered both of their cheeks as they saw Gobber standing in the opening to the forge. He gave a cheeky smile as he said: "Dinner is ready. Unless you two plan on having each other."

"Gobber." Hiccup scolded but the blacksmith only laughed as the chief's blush grew deeper.

Vesta laughed, not at all feeling the embarrassment that Hiccup did but instead kissed him, softly this time, before saying: "A meal sounds nice actually. See you two in a bit."

She grabbed the blades that Hiccup had made her and sheathed them in the spots on her boots before leaving the two men alone. Hiccup stared after her as his heart hammered in his chest from the kiss they'd just shared. Once she was out of sight, he glared at Gobber.

"I take it she liked her gift," Gobber stated before laughing and Hiccup rolled his eyes.

He walked over to Gobber and crossed his arms. "Very subtle."

"Oh, come on, Chief," Gobber said as he gently punched Hiccup in the shoulder. "Let's go before you get any ideas."

Vesta joined her sisters at their table as if nothing had happened and easily slipped into conversation with them. Still, she couldn't help but watch the two men as they joined Valka where she was sitting and Hiccup hugged her before saying what could only be a holiday greeting. As Vesta watched them and felt the sheathed blades on her boots, she couldn't help but think that Ruffnut had been right.

Though it was her first, she was sure it was the best Snoggletog she'd ever have.

 *****Thank you for reading and I hope you all have a great day!**


	21. Chapter 21- Standing Point

It was an hour before sunup when Hiccup walked out of his home with Toothless to get ready to go one their morning patrol. There wasn't a sound to be heard and the only light offered came from the full moon overhead. He put a hand on Toothless and softly shushed the grumbling dragon so not to wake any of the Vikings or dragons nearby. It was a relief to have them all back from their mating season but that didn't mean he was willing to startle a Monstrous Nightmare so early in the morning.

"Want some company?" A voice softly asked and he was surprised to see that it had come from Astrid.

He arched an eyebrow at her, confused by the sudden offer. They had barely spoken since they'd broken up and the conversations had only lessened after the sisters' secret had been revealed. Nevertheless, he smiled and said: "Absolutely."

After retrieving Stormfly, they were careful to not wake anyone as they took to the skies, the morning air giving them a sense of peace that only came from flying. They flew in silence around the island until the first sight of dawn breaking caught their eyes.

"So..." Hiccup started but wasn't sure what to say.

Astrid looked over at him and asked: "Do you want to address the Rumblehorn in the room or are we going to make an attempt at small talk?"

Hiccup took a breath before saying: "I owe you an apology." When Astrid looked at him questioningly, he explained further. "A chief's job is to remind himself that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Especially his own."

"I haven't exactly been innocent in this. I've been avoiding you if I'm honest." Astrid admitted and looked down towards the ocean. "I know we said we'd be friends but it isn't that easy."

Hiccup looked out towards the sunrise as he said: "Astrid, you have every reason to be angry with me. I'm honestly surprised you haven't tried to hit me with your axe but that isn't the point." He turned to look at her reaction, relieved when he saw her smile at the joke but turned serious before continuing. "Things have changed so much in only a few months and I'm still getting used to it. Either way, as chief it's my job to look out for you. It's even more so as your friend."

Astrid breathed a light sigh before looking over at him and smiled sadly as she said: "You're shaping up to be one hell of a chief, Hiccup."

"I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you, Astrid." Every word was sincere as he spoke, wanting her to know that he appreciated her. "Which is why I know that the man you marry will be truly blessed by the gods to have you. When that time comes, I'll be overjoyed to know that you found the one who will make you happy. All I'm asking for is that you do the same for me."

She let out a soft sigh before saying: "You really like her don't you?"

He couldn't hide his smile as he said: "She's the one, Astrid."

Stormfly growled lightly as she felt her owner tense up at the words and as much as she wanted to argue, Astrid knew that she would rather have his friendship than nothing. She laughed before saying: "I guess you have a point. Plus, it'll be nice to know that someone else has your back. I'm honestly not sure if you would have lived this long without me watching out for you."

"If I didn't have you, I'd have had to depend on Snotlout for help. Not sure I would have made it to sixteen if that were the case." Hiccup couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped him as he thought of all of the times Astrid had gotten him out of risky situations.

She laughed before saying: "Well... you may have saved my life a time or two."

"I think we tied on the life-saving scale." His smile turned into a teasing one before saying: "It's not like when we are dragon racing and you can't keep up."

Astrid snorted as she asked: "You mean when you steal the black sheep? If it weren't for that, I could easily beat you in my sleep."

"Prove it." He told her before taking a final look out at the sea. "A race back to Berk. First one to land in the center of the village wins."

"Oh?" Astrid's friendly smile was all taunting and challenging as she asked: "What do I get when I win?"

He chuckled before asking: "What would you like?"

She smiled mischievously before saying: "I want to name the next island that we discover."

"Deal." Hiccup agreed without a second thought.

"On the very slim chance that you win, what do you want?" She asked as she popped her knuckles.

He was hoping she would ask that and said: "I want you to promise me that when it comes time for the sisters to have their own dragons, you'll help me teach them without a fight."

Astrid eyed him curiously before realizing he was serious. "Why me?"

"Like I said: I couldn't have done this without you." He told her with a laugh and she groaned. The words had sounded so sweet a moment ago but now had come back around to bite her in the ass.

Hiccup arched an eyebrow at her as he waited for her response and she finally agreed. "Fine. I guess you could ask for worse."

This time it was Hiccup's turn to be confused and he asked: "Why the change of heart?"

"Anyone willing to drink my yaknog for the sake of peace can't be all that bad," Astrid told him with a laugh and Hiccup couldn't help but join in.

After they finished their laugh, he put a hand on Toothless and asked: "Ready, bud?"

The dragon growled in agreement and Hiccup fanned the Night Fury's prosthetic tail out further, preparing to take off as soon as they were ready. Astrid smiled at the two before putting a hand on Stormfly's side and saying: "Let's show them how to race, girl."

The Night Fury and Deadly Nadder growled before giving their all and racing back to the island of Berk as their Riders cheered with joy, the intense awkwardness from before no longer anywhere to be seen. With the feel of the wind and the smell of the sea, they had no doubts that their friendship had been restored.

Hiccup won the race but it wasn't without effort. The two dragons hadn't had much space between them from the time the race began. The race had turned in Hiccup's favor when Toothless had spiraled towards the island before gracefully landing and letting out a victory roar only moments before Stormfly's claws hit the ground.

Astrid jumped off of her dragon and began pushing her hair out of her face as she said: "Okay, you won this round."

"Glad to hear you admit that, m'lady." Hiccup told her with a laugh, using the old nickname he'd given her as a tease.

She smirked at him before saying: "Laugh while you can because you and Toothless won't be able to keep up with us next time."

Gobber walked up to them with a teasing smile on his face. "Good to see you two speaking again."

"Good to see you two having a friendly competition," Valka interjected and Hiccup ran a hand through his hair.

Gobber put a hand on Valka's shoulder before saying: "Nothing like a little dragon racing to get some old friends talking again."

"Who won the race?" Valka asked curiously and Hiccup smiled triumphantly.

Astrid rolled her eyes before saying: "He did, of course."

"Way to go, Chief!" Tuffnut yelled and Ruffnut rolled her eyes.

She crossed her arms over her chest as she said: "Astrid could have easily beaten him. She was probably just being nice."

"I doubt that," Skya told Ruffnut with a laugh as she walked to the group.

Isla and Fishlegs came into view with their hands entwined before addressing the group of Vikings. Fishlegs smiled as he saw the exchange between Hiccup and Astrid, happy to see that they were back on speaking terms again. While it was strange to not see them as a couple, it was even more so to see them not talking at all.

"A race back to the island?" Fishlegs asked as he arched an eyebrow.

Hiccup laughed before saying: "Nothing like a competition between friends."

"Judging from Astrid's expression, I'm guessing you won." Isla quipped and Astrid simply rolled her eyes, giving the answer without being verbal.

A laugh came from behind the group, followed by the question: "What were the terms?"

Hiccup looked back to see Vesta had quietly joined their group and was smiling brightly at him with a patient look in her eyes. She kept a respectful distance from him, not quite sure of the amount of affection the chief was allowed to receive or give in public. There was also the fact that Astrid had just begun to like her and she wanted to keep the fragile peace between them for as long as she could.

Hiccup walked over and wrapped an arm around her waist as he softly said: "Well... Astrid agreed to help me with a project that I'd like to discuss with you and your sisters."

"That doesn't sound ominous at all," Vesta said with a teasing smile as she looked up at him.

Snotlout made a retching sound and asked: "I'm sorry, is my gagging ruining your smoochy talk?"

Vesta smiled mischievously and a moment later, Snotlout's helmet caught fire. He shrieked before throwing the helmet in a nearby trough and the girl could no longer hold back her laugh. Hiccup cleared his throat to keep from laughing and said: "I'm going to have to let that one slide this time."

Astrid and the twins couldn't hold back their laughter at seeing Snotlout's confused expression as he saw no trace of burn marks on his helmet. He then looked at the group and said: "You are all horrible people." He looked at Vesta. "Especially you."

Valka laughed before saying: "Come on, Gobber."

"It was just getting good." He argued and looked between the redhead and the Viking.

Valka smirked before saying: "We are both too old to be hanging around mischievous teenagers. It's time for us to head back to the forge. Preferably before Grump eats any of the iron."

Gobber scratched his head before saying: "Right. You've got me there. You kids stay out of trouble."

Vesta laughed as she watched the two old friends shove each other as they walked away before looking back at the group to see that Isla had her eyes fixed on her. "What is it?"

"It's just... good to see some of the old you back," Isla told her hesitantly and Vesta realized what she meant as she looked at Snotlout.

She hadn't played a prank like that since her mother had passed because she'd been afraid of who she was. As she felt a gentle laugh come from the man beside her, she realized that he was the reason she had let go of her rule, even if it was just for a moment. Vesta shook her head to bring herself back into focus before saying: "Well, don't get too used to it."

Isla frowned at the words but Fishlegs' gentle squeeze of her hand quickly erased the feature and she leaned into him. She didn't fail to notice the arm around Vesta's waist and hoped that if she spent enough time with Hiccup, maybe she would learn to trust herself again. It would be a long process but at least there was a light in the shadows for her sister now.

Terra and Eret's sudden landing caused the girls to break their gaze and turn to their oldest sister. Terra smiled as she easily slid off of Skullcrusher and looked up at Eret, who had an affectionate hand on the Rumblehorn. Her green eyes mirrored the feelings in her heart as she looked up at him and it seemed as if the very world around her disappeared.

"Well," Vesta said, bringing Terra back to reality. "I'm going to get some rest before lunch."

Astrid smiled before saying: "Try not to oversleep. If you do, we'll send someone to wake you up."

"I volunteer Ruffnut!" Tuffnut said quickly before gasping as his sister punched him in the stomach.

She rolled her eyes before saying: "I was there when she punched you, you idiot."

Skya laughed at the exchange and Fishlegs smiled sheepishly. "Isla and I are out of the running."

The cyan-haired girl smiled brightly before saying: "He's taking me flying and then we're going to go visit the garden."

"That's so sweet," Terra told her as Eret put an arm around her waist.

Eret smiled before saying: "She'd probably like a view of the falls on the island just south of here."

"That's a great idea." Fishlegs agreed happily as he looked at the girl standing beside him, who seemed to glow at the thought.

Snotlout made kissing noises and Isla twirled her hand so that the water from the trough he'd used to extinguish his helmet was above his head. She lowered her hand and the water soaked him completely, causing everyone but Snotlout to laugh.

Vesta cleared her throat as she attempted to smother her laugh. "I think I'll take that as my cue to leave."

"I'll wake you up after I'm done with my rounds for the morning." Hiccup told her and she smiled gratefully. He then smirked as he added: "For something in return."

Her puzzled expression caused the corner of his mouth to twitch in a smile and he arched an eyebrow at her. She knew from that one gesture what he wanted but when Astrid caught her eye, she was hesitant. Hiccup and Astrid's friendship was still in a sensitive state of progress that she didn't want to ruin and the girls themselves had just recently put their dislike for each other behind them. Not being able to completely resist but still being respectful, she leaned up and placed a quick kiss on his cheek before walking away with a light blush on her cheeks.

Astrid stared after the girl, for once, not in anger but in a mix of longing and gratitude. She could see how happy she was around Hiccup and how his smiled seemed brighter around the girl. She had also noticed how the girl's eyes had looked in her direction before making the decision to kiss his cheek. She knew from that one look that her decision had been out of respect for her and that made the resentment she had left for the girl disappear.

The flight this morning and Hiccup's smile now was all she needed to know that Vesta made him truly happy. Knowing that they weren't going to have the future that she thought they would brought a tinge of sadness to her heart. However, knowing she would always have him as a friend erased the feeling with a sense of joy.

A few hours had passed since the group had split up and while everyone else had gone flying, Hiccup had dealt with responsibilities of being chief. The naming of a newly born child, marrying a couple, listened to Silent Sven talk about the arrangement of the weapons in the armory, and had repaired three dragon saddles in the forge. He was exhausted already and still had the rest of the day to worry about but the next hour he would be able to forget about those worries.

He walked into the Thorston hut and was immediately met with a new set of worries as he saw Vesta in a corner with her knees pulled to her chest and glassy eyes. He gently closed the door to the twins' hut before walking over to her, careful to not kick or trip over anything that was laying on the floor. If she had noticed him, she made no move to show that she had until he knelt in front of her.

He fought the urge to pull her to him and settled for a hand on her knee as he asked: "What's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare about my mom and..." Vesta trailed off before closing her eyes tight and taking a deep breath.

Hiccup felt a pull at his heart as he looked at her. He'd had nightmares about his own father's death every week since he'd passed and knew that with each nightmare, the pain of the loss seemed to grow. "I'm so sorry."

"I remembered something." She admitted softly. He looked up at her and waited for her to decide if she was going to tell him what the detail was. A tear fell down her cheek as she said: "I remembered that she looked relieved right before she died. Hiccup, was I such a burden that she was relieved to die?"

He didn't fight his instincts this time as he pulled her into his arms and she let herself fall into his embrace, letting him comfort her like only he could. He gently ran his hands through her hair as her body shook from the sobs she refused to let him hear and he felt her put a hand over his heart. Once she stopped shaking, he continued to hold her close but didn't give her time to get lost in her thoughts.

"Vesta, I know from what I've heard from you and your sisters that that isn't true. She loved all of you with everything she had. I think the reason she looked relieved was because she knew that you were safe. That even though she wouldn't survive the flames, you would." His voice was barely above a whisper but he knew she heard and understood them.

Her fingers gently curled around the tunic he wore as she asked: "How can you be so sure?"

"I think-" He started before shaking his head and saying: "I know because even though my father is gone because of something I did, he would go back and do it again." He held her tighter. "So would your mother."

Vesta pulled away just enough so that she could look at him. Her heart was still filled with the pain of her past, that wouldn't be mended completely any time soon. However, coming to Berk had sent her in the right direction to begin to heal and she could see the chance for a brighter future in his green eyes. Only time would tell if that future was with him or not but either way, he'd showed her that she would have one. It was something that she would be forever grateful for.

She put a hand to her face and wiped away the tears before laughing. "What is in the water here? I've done more crying here than I have in the past five years."

Hiccup laughed before standing up and holding out a hand to her. She glared up at him before pushing herself off the floor, her stubborn streak showing that it was still there. He rolled his eyes before saying: "Let's go get something to eat before they send Spitelout after us."

"Do you think he'd be willing to train with me?" She asked and he arched an eyebrow. "What? I'd like the chance to get even with him for all the snide comments."

He laughed before saying: "I think it'll be better for all of us if you just ignore him."

"Fine. At least I can watch your mom kick his ass at arm-wrestling." An amused smile spread across her face as she said: "That never gets old."

Hiccup laughed and was about to open the door when he realized she'd stopped walking. He turned to ask what was wrong but lost his train of thought when she walked closer to him. She put an arm around his neck and gently pulled him close enough that he could feel her breath before tilting her head. The moment their lips met, he felt his heart take off and completely forgot about the meal that they were late for. Whether it was a few moments or a few hours didn't matter to him. The only thing he knew was that he didn't want it to end.

He decided to test the waters and let his tongue tenderly trace her bottom lip before softly nipping it, causing her to yelp in surprise. She couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped her as he gave a sound of disapproval at the loss of contact. She placed a hand on his cheek before asking: "Haven't you had enough?"

"Not when it comes to you." He told her as he leaned into the palm of her hand.

She dropped her hand from his face before saying: "Come on. It's one thing for me to be late but it's a different story for the chief of the tribe to be."

"I hate it when your right." He told her with a groan before opening the door of the hut.

Once the door closed behind Vesta, Hiccup didn't hesitate to reach for her hand. His fingers entwined with her's and they shared a smile before walking to the Great Hall to meet with the other Vikings. He wasn't sure of her standing point on the amount of public affection and made a mental note to ask her about it later. For now, he was proud to be able to show that she was his.

 *****I wanted to start off by saying thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. Shoutout to my guest reviewer and KoolKatLottie123! I hope that this answered some of the questions about Hiccup and Astrid's friendship at this point. They will have more interactions from here on out now that things are okay between them. Also, I had over 2000 words written on this chapter but a power outage caused me to lose everything I had for it. I would also love to hear some suggestions for dragons for the sisters in the future. Anyways... thank you for reading and I hope you all have a great day!**


	22. Chapter 22- Charming

It was a typical morning on Berk. Snotlout and Fishlegs were doing their last round of morning patrol, the twins were causing havoc on the island, while Hiccup and Astrid were in a meeting with the council discussing the latest issues on the island.

Hiccup put a hand to his head as he explained for the third time that morning: "Spitelout, I'm not opposed to the idea but the resources needed for something like another armory is something we can't afford. We have enough right now as it is."

Spitelout snorted before arguing: "Wrong. You can never have too many weapons, lad."

"Oh, gods." Hiccup said under his breath before looking at Gobber and waiting for him to help talk some sense into Spitelout.

The older blacksmith laughed before saying: "Spitelout, with all of the weapons we have right now, you would think we were preparing for battle. We haven't had an attack on Berk in a while."

"Wrong again." Spitelout countered before explaining: "We had one just a couple of weeks ago. One that we weren't prepared for and, had we not had a bit of a surprise unfair advantage, we may have been in trouble."

Mulch shrugged before saying: "We are a tiny island and it isn't unheard of for people to try to take over to have more land. We have dragons and the elements on our side."

"We have four teenage girls with unnatural abilities living on the island. One of them doesn't get their way and the whole village could be blown off the map." Spitelout argued as he waved his arms around for emphasis.

"I for one find that very insulting." Terra's voice echoed through the hall. She and Eret stood in the doorway of the Great Hall, not touching in any way but close enough for comfort. The distance between the two and the respectful nod to the council stated that they were there for a serious matter.

Spitelout groaned and gestured to the brunette. "Didn't your mother teach you that walking into a private meeting is rude?"

Spitelout suddenly fell backward in his chair and groaned as his body made contact with the now unleveled earth. Terra cleared her throat before leveling the ground out again and saying: "My mother taught me all that I needed to know. Including that if invited to a private meeting, to always make an appearance despite my own beliefs on the matter at hand."

Spitelout stood from the ground as he rubbed his back and groaned. "Who invited you, lass?"

"I did," Astrid stated and Hiccup gave a sigh of relief. "She is the eldest of the sisters and I felt that since they will be staying here, she has a right to know what is going on."

Spitelout snorted before saying: "So does that apply to everyone in town or just her?"

Eret grew defensive immediately and smiled tauntingly as he said: "She's caused far less trouble than you have, Jorgenson."

Spitelout's mouth fell open and before he could get out a single word, Hiccup stopped the argument by saying: "She stays. End of discussion."

"Thank you." She mouthed and they exchanged friendly smiles before turning back to the situation at hand.

"Now as far as-" Hiccup was cut off as Toothless growled at the door of the Hall. "What is it, bud?"

A moment later Gustav burst through the doors with both a look of excitement and arrogance on his face. "A ship with unfamiliar sails just made port at the docks. I decided to come get you so that I didn't scare them off."

Terra looked to Hiccup curiously before asking: "Are you expecting someone?"

"No." He stated before jumping onto Toothless back and soaring out of the Hall toward the docks, followed by Astrid on Stormfly.

Eret then grabbed Terra's hand before racing out of the Hall to see what was going on, along with the rest of the council. Terra looked at the docks and could see that the ship had the clear outline of a wolf on them.

Three men stood on the docks with their swords sheathed and covered in heavy silver armor, save one. The one that stood out wore a golden armor and a royal blue cape that had a single gem of the same color to keep it in place. His brown eyes were carefully studying the people that approached him and he gripped the handle of his sword as Toothless growled at him. His near-shoulder length black hair was a mess as if he had been on the seas for weeks and his stance was one of a warrior's.

Astrid and Hiccup exchanged a look before he carefully slid off of Toothless and put a calming hand on his companion. The golden warrior looked at the young man cautiously as he drew his sword, letting the youth know that he was prepared for a fight. The man looked at him calmly before asking: "Who are you?"

"You come to my home heavily armored and ready for a fight yet expect me to answer your questions?" Hiccup asked in disbelief before giving the newcomer a defiant look. "Who are you?"

The man smiled, impressed that the young man wouldn't back down despite his slender physique. "I had heard that Berk bred defiant residents. It's good to see that the rumors are true, even for it's smaller folk."

"Insulting the chief of a tribe of crazy Vikings isn't the best way to make sure you get off the island alive," Astrid growled and the man turned to notice her for the first time.

He studied Astrid's features and a smile spread across his face. "By all means, hold me captive. I'll be perfectly content being a slave to a beauty such as yourself."

Astrid smiled sweetly before pulling her axe off of her back and asking: "How do you feel about an axe to the face?"

The man's smile didn't fade as he looked at the blonde. "I would be sad to leave because Valhalla itself would pale in comparison to you, my lady."

Astrid made a disgusted sound before looking back to Hiccup. "Give me the word and I'll plant my axe in his head."

Toothless growled as he felt Hiccup tense next to him and the golden warrior turned back to look at the man he now knew was Chief of Berk. "If this is what the men of Berk have to offer, I can see why a siren such as yourself hasn't wasted her time."

"Hiccup, can we set this asshole on fire yet?" Snotlout growled, making his presence known a second before the loud thud of Hookfang landing would have.

Meatlug growled in agreement before Fishlegs, being the voice of reason, surprised even himself. "Normally I'm against needless violence but I feel like I have to agree with Snotlout."

Terra, Eret, Skya, the twins, and Isla landed a moment later, causing tension with the rival group of Vikings and relief for their friends. Isla jumped off of Skullcrusher and walked over to Fishlegs and Meatlug before settling her eyes on the golden warrior.

"Why are you here?" She asked softly and the man's piercing glare relaxed a little at the sight of the sixteen-year-old.

He gave a polite bow before saying: "I wish you no harm, my lady. I came here for a reason of great importance." he looked over at Astrid, who looked unimpressed. "However, I seem to have lost my memory in a pair of blue eyes."

"Is he flirting with her?" Tuffnut asked with a curious expression as he looked between his friends.

Skya laughed before saying: "It would seem so."

Ruffnut snorted as she leaned back on Barf. "Wonder how well he flirts with an axe up his-"

"Would you idiots be quiet?" Astrid growled in annoyance before turning back to face the stranger. "Are you always this charming or did the gods send you to punish me?"

Eret rolled his eyes before repeating Hiccup's question: "Who are you, stranger?"

"Enar?" A voice called curiously and the man smiled up at the voice.

He laughed lightly as he extended his arms to the side at the sound of someone running in his direction. One moment he'd had his sword ready for an attack and now his arms held Vesta in a warm embrace. "It is good to see you again, little phoenix."

They broke out of the embrace and Vesta smiled brightly up at the man, Enar. "I could hardly believe it when I heard talk of a ship that had a wolf on its sails. What are you doing here?"

He chuckled before gesturing to the several glaring Hooligans. "Making friends of course."

"I see you are making a poor case as always." She said with a roll of her eyes. She then turned to the several eyes that held curiosity. "This is Enar Renouf, Chief of the Grim Spirit Tribe. He's slightly rough around the edges but is a loyal companion none the less."

Ruffnut snorted before saying: "Sounds like you two know each other pretty well."

"You could say that," Vesta stated before gesturing to each of them. "The twins are Ruffnut and Tuffnut and the Zippleback's names are Barf and Belch."

Ruffnut smiled before saying: "Nice to meet you, wolfy."

Tuffnut chuckled at the nickname before saying: "Wolfy."

"Snotlout Jorgenson, toughest man on Berk." Snotlout said proudly and Hookfang growled at his Rider. "Hookfang, toughest dragon on Berk."

Enar snorted before saying: "It's good to see that there is some backbone on Berk."

Vesta rolled her eyes before gesturing to Fishlegs, who now had a relaxed smile on his face as he no longer saw the new arrivals as a threat. "Fishlegs Ingerman and it's nice to meet you." He placed an affectionate hand on Meatlug before smiling proudly. "This is Meatlug."

"A pleasure." He told the two before turning to Astrid. "What must I do to be worthy of having the privilege of your name?"

"Not making me sick is a good start," Astrid stated before a smile pulled at her lips. "Astrid Hofferson" Stormfly growled beneath her, reminding her rider of her presence. "and Stormfly."

He gave her a graceful bow before saying: "I think I can die with no regrets now, Lady Hofferson."

Astrid groaned before averting her eyes and Vesta bit her lip to keep the giggle she felt contained. She then cleared her throat before looking at her sisters and making sure he was focused on them so she hopefully wouldn't have to remind him again later. "Terra, Skya, and Isla."

"The elemental sisters. I'll admit I thought you were exaggerating a bit when you said that each of you fit your elements." He looked between each of the sisters before smiling softly. "I can see now that you were right."

Vesta smiled softly before saying: "Your village crazy lady was right by the way. Coming home was one of the best things I've done."

"I'm glad to hear that." Enar nudged her with his elbow before seeing that Hiccup's eyes were trained on the girl at his side. His voice dropped to a whisper as he said: "I believe you have an admirer."

"Quite the other way around actually," Vesta admitted, not bothering to keep the silent tone he'd used.

She finally decided to ease the tension between the two men as she moved away from her companion and walked to Hiccup. He kept his eyes on Enar until Vesta placed a hand on his cheek, causing Hiccup to look down at the girl who'd stolen his heart. Her eyes silently asked if he was okay and he didn't fight the urge to kiss her. He knew she wasn't one for much of public affection but discretion be damned, she was his.

The kiss didn't last more than a few moments but it was enough for the Viking chief to show that the girl in his arms had been claimed. Vesta pulled away with a light blush on her cheeks before she reminded herself how to breathe. She had completely forgotten about their audience and when she heard the sound of Enar clearing his throat, her blush intensified.

"I'm assuming that you and your men are hungry." Hiccup stated as he pulled Vesta to him with a mischievous smile. "It's around lunch so there is plenty of food. Please, stay as long as you need but take today to rest. We will have plenty of time to discuss business tomorrow."

"A hot meal sounds rather nice actually. Donovan and Soris, enjoy your time on the island." Enar said to his men before turning to Astrid with a sly smile. "Perhaps you might join me if nothing more than to keep an eye on me."

Astrid arched an eyebrow and was about to refuse when Vesta spoke up. "If he gets out of line and you put your axe in his face, I assure you that I can talk his tribe out of an attack."

"In that case, I look forward to it." Astrid agreed and the girls shared a laugh before the blonde gestured for the men to follow her to the Great Hall. She waited until Enar walked close to Stormfly, thinking that Astrid would be joining him for the walk, and nearly knocked him to his ass when Stormfly took off.

The man rolled his eyes before running after the girl and when his two soldiers left to follow him, Terra couldn't help but find it odd. "He must be extremely confident in his abilities."

"Arrogantly so." Vesta admitted before adding: "However, there is a method to the madness. He always said that peace required a few men of intelligence while a war required several with blades drawn."

Skya thought for a moment before shrugging. "Makes sense to me."

"Who cares what makes sense?" Ruffnut asked with a snort. "I'm hungry."

Tuffnut laughed before saying: "When are you not?"

"Are you calling me fat?" His sister growled and put her hands on her hips.

Tuffnut was about to come up with some witty retort when a gust of wind nearly knocked him off of Belch. Skya arched an eyebrow at him and he dismissed the insult he had for his sister. He held out his hand to Skya. "Come on, beautiful."

Skya pushed his hand away before jumping up onto Belch with ease and wrapping her arms around him. Snotlout gagged a bit before taking off with the twins in a race. Fishlegs pet Meatlug affectionately before looking at Hiccup questioningly.

"Aren't you coming to eat with us?" He asked his best friend curiously.

Vesta stood by her sister, about to walk back when Hiccup said: "I think we're going to have a bit of a late lunch."

Isla laughed before elbowing her sister lightly. "Sounds like your in trouble."

"When am I not?" Vesta asked with a roll of her eyes. Isla giggled before kissing her sister's cheek and jumping onto Meatlug's back.

"She is definitely in trouble," Fishlegs said when he thought they were out of earshot.

Vesta snorted before announcing: "Thanks, Legs."

He blushed deeply and they flew off followed by the sound of Meatlug's growl of laughter and Isla's giggles. As soon as they were out of sight, Vesta turned to Hiccup to face whatever was waiting for her. She was surprised to see Toothless lick his rider's cheek before taking off to the Great Hall for his own lunch and Vesta bit her lip nervously.

She walked back over to him and put a hand on his cheek but was careful to keep some distance between them. "Talk to me."

"You two seem close." Hiccup stated as he crossed his arms over his chest but made no move to back away from her gentle touch.

"He's like an older brother to me. One that I didn't particularly want." Vesta chuckled nervously before asking: "What are you thinking?"

Hiccup sighed in defeat before moving away from her touch. "It seems like every time I think I know you a little better, something happens to prove me wrong."

"Hiccup, he saved my life. I wouldn't even be here having this conversation if it weren't for him." She explained as she dropped her hand back to her side.

"How?" He asked curiously but still unable to meet her eyes.

Vesta sighed before turning away to look out at the ocean. She felt shame and guilt wash over her as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I found out that my abilities didn't work in water and in an act of desperation and grief, I decided to jump into the ocean despite not knowing how to swim. It was a foolish act that nearly cost me my life but a fisherman happened to be watching out for me."

"The Chief of the Grim Spirit Tribe saved your life." He stated before asking: "Why call him a fisherman?

"That's all he was at the time. We had no idea he was going to be chief. The one before him had no heirs and even though I was only there for a week, the old man took a liking to me." She smiled as she remembered the old Chief's kind words to her right before he'd left for Valhalla. "He said if he'd had a daughter, he hoped she would have been like me. When the time came to decide who would be the next chief, the decision was left to me."

Hiccup couldn't see her face but he knew from her tone that she was still confident in her decision. "What made you so sure that he was right for the tribe?"

"Enar risked his life to save mine and then kept me safe after he found out about my abilities." She ran a hand through her hair as she smiled out at the ocean. "That kind of loyalty isn't found very often. I knew that if he could be that loyal to a stranger, he would do amazing things for the people of his village. It turned out to be the second best choice I've ever made."

The sound of the waves crashing nearly covered his voice as he softly asked: "What was the first?"

She'd heard him though and turned around with a bright smile on her face as her rose-colored eyes met his green ones. "You."

He blushed, embarrassed at how he acted and softly asked: "Can you forgive me for being childish?"

She sighed before asking: "Can you forgive me for not telling you sooner?" He nodded, causing her to smile. "Then there's your answer."

"Good to know." He then walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her close so he could claim her lips again.

Her arms went around his neck and her hands tangled themselves in his messy hair as he wrapped her in his arms. She gasped in surprise when he bit her bottom lip and he didn't waste the opportunity he was given to deepen the kiss. His tongue slipped between her parted lips and he could taste a mixture of sweet honey and sage, something that was purely her. It was the moment he pressed her body closer to his that she snapped to her senses.

"Hiccup!" She gasped breathlessly as she gently pushed on his chest to put a respectable amount of space between them. She would be mortified if someone were to walk by and see them in such a... compromising position.

He smiled proudly as he heard her trying to catch her breath. "Everything okay?"

She rolled her eyes at his smug smile. "Cocky bastard. Come on, let's head back to the Hall before we get into trouble."

"One more. Please?" He asked softly and the combination of his sweet smile and bright green eyes caused her to forget the argument she had.

She held up her index finger and repeated: "One."

His smile was victorious as he leaned in to kiss her again but the proud feeling quickly dissolved when he heard someone clear their throat. He breathed a sigh of annoyance before saying: "I can't catch a break."

"Never have I been so happy to see Spitelout." Vesta teased before placing a final peck on his lips. She moved away and as she walked past the larger Viking, she made sure Hiccup could hear her say: "He's all yours."

Spitelout paid her no attention as he looked at the young chief and unapologetically asked: "Would you like to get back to your responsibilities or do you need a dip in the cold water first?"

Hiccup had several smart comments for the larger Viking but decided that it wasn't worth it. "What is the most urgent problem at the moment?"

"Besides your latest distraction?" Spitelout questioned and Hiccup's soft stare turned fierce at what he was implying. Spitelout sighed in aggravation. "We will continue this discussion tomorrow. For now, Gobber has requested you meet him in the forge to help make the saddles. The ones you asked for, lest you forget."

"Damn it." He growled before rushing past Spitelout and taking off in the direction of the forge. He'd completely forgotten about the special request with the arrival of the... unexpected guests. He hoped that Gobber wouldn't give him too much of a tongue lashing for leaving him to do the work. Hiccup may have been chief but Gobber still saw him as the scrawny child that he had mentored for the past fifteen years.

Hiccup was so focused on getting to the forge that he nearly knocked his mother to the ground when he entered the building. Valka helped steady her now winded son before giving a light-hearted laugh. "Looks like he's safe from your scolding this time Gobber."

Hiccup let out a nervous laugh as he brushed himself off. "Sorry, mom. I was-"

"I know exactly what you were doing." Gobber interrupted with a hearty laugh before making a kissing noise.

"I- I- We were just- I mean we weren't-" Hiccup couldn't get the right words out and he felt his cheeks burn brighter with every stutter.

Valka gave her son an understanding look before turning her gaze back to the blacksmith. "Even a chief needs a few moments to forget about their responsibilities."

Gobber gave her a cheeky smile before teasing the young man again. "I don't blame him for that. I would just suggest a more private place next time."

"Okay, so about these saddles." Hiccup quickly said, wanting to get off of the subject of his more intimate moments as soon as possible.

Valka squeezed his shoulder, both to apologize for leaving and wish him luck. "I'm going to go keep an eye on our guests so you and Gobber can work on the saddles."

"Thanks, mom," Hiccup muttered but smiled as she walked out. He pulled on his blacksmith's apron before grabbing the brush used to polish the saddles.

Gobber walked over with a saddle and placed it on the small stand for it to be polished. "So were you planning on testing out the docks or the rock wall, Chief?"

"Are you finished?" Hiccup asked as his cheeks heated up again.

Gobber let out an amused laugh and pretended to wipe a tear from his eyes. "I'm just getting started."

Hiccup didn't bother to hold back his groan this time. The blacksmith had teased him for years and he thought by now he would be used to it. The heat from his blush, he now feared that he never would. He'd started off teasing him about his size and about how he'd never impress a pretty girl if he didn't bulk up some. He lifted his fingers to touch his lips before deciding that Gobber could tease all he wanted.

After all, Hiccup had his pretty girl.

 *****I hope this chapter turned out better than I think it did. I wrote four different versions of it but this is the one that I think was the best. There is a picture of Enar for this chapter on my quotev account if you would like to see what he looks like. A big thank you to Guest for the review on the last chapter! I absolutely love the idea of the secret mission! Also, please let me know if you would like for Toothless to find a mate later on in this story. I have gone back and forth so I am leaving it up to you lovely readers.** **Anyway... thank you for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful day!**


	23. Chapter 23- Romance on Berk

"So how long have you two been involved?" Enar asked as he pulled back the bow and aimed the arrow in Vesta's direction.

He loosed the arrow and she turned around and grabbed it before shooting it in the direction of the target, hitting the center dead on. "We've been here for a few months. I guess you could say that it became official two weeks ago."

She smiled as she thought back to Snoggletog. He had given her the most incredible gift and then they'd shared a passionate kiss that was also her first. She touched her lips at the memory and laughed as she realized she'd kissed him every day since.

"What happened to never give love a chance?" He asked with a laugh as he tossed the bow in her direction.

She placed the bow back on the rack before a guilty look crossed her face. "I'm hoping that it won't get to that point."

Enar put a hand on her shoulder before saying: "You can't punish yourself forever, little phoenix."

"Enar, the guilt of losing my mother is going to haunt me for the rest of my life." She wrapped her arms around herself as if she was cold. "The thought of losing him terrifies me."

She placed a hand over her heart as she realized just how much she meant the words. She had never been scared of anything. Even when she was a blink from death, she'd simply accepted it and embraced the idea. She could almost feel the cold water now and let out a small shiver.

Enar's soft voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "That's all the more reason to take chances in this life. You only get one, little phoenix."

She turned around and hugged him tightly, something he didn't hesitate to return. They pulled away after a moment and he smiled mischievously as he looked over her shoulder at the opening to the Academy. She turned around to see Astrid walking in with Stormfly and her axe, it was about her normal time to train. "Must you?"

He laughed before pulling the clip from her hair, causing it to fall all around her face. "Like I said: you only get one."

It wasn't even a moment later that Astrid noticed him and groaned. "What do you want?"

"I need permission to talk to a pretty Viking now?" Enar asked as he stood to the side.

"If you want to avoid having this" she held up her axe "in your spine, then yes."

Enar laughed before saying: "I'm a trained warrior. You think I couldn't take it if I wanted to?"

Astrid snorted before moving into a defensive position, her knuckles turning white from how tightly she was gripping the axe's handle. "You can try it."

He lunged forward and quickly grabbed the axe from her grip and knocked her feet out from under her. She looked up at him with a mixture of frustration and awe, something that Astrid didn't show very often. She stood up and held out her hand for her axe but this caused him to laugh.

When she raised an eyebrow at him, he gave an innocent smile that only caused her frustration to increase. "You can't get something for nothing, my lovely."

"What do you want, Enar?" She growled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

He laughed before looking in Stormfly's direction. "I'd like to go flying with you tonight. I'm curious about the freedom that wings offer."

Astrid looked at him surprised and couldn't stop herself from asking: "That's it?"

"For now. Besides," he held the axe back out to her "I was taught to be grateful for what I am given."

She crossed her arms over her chest before looking at Vesta. "Hiccup asked me to come retrieve you and our... guest for dinner."

"Thanks, Astrid," Vesta told her with a grateful smile before deciding to give the girl a break and grabbing Enar by his tunic to drag him away. He went willingly and Astrid rolled her eyes before jumping up on Stormfly.

Astrid soared over the head and while Enar was talking about something, Vesta didn't miss Astrid tossing a look over her shoulder at the Grim Spirit Chief but quickly looked away when she realized she'd been caught.

A poke to the side caused Vesta to turn to Enar with a questioning look. "What?"

He chuckled before saying: "I asked if you planned on making Berk a home. What were you so focused on?"

Vesta smiled and ignored his second question. Enar had made it obvious that he was interested in Astrid but it was up to her to make anything of it. She also proceeded to ignore his first question. "I'm not worried about my decisions right now. I'm focusing on the present."

Enar gave her a disapproving look as he picked up on her avoidance method but his stomach growling caused him to laugh. "Apparently my stomach is going to side with you on this one."

"For once, I'm grateful." She told him with a laugh and he stretched his arms out.

"How about a friendly competition?" He asked and she gestured for him to explain. "The first one to the Hall wins and no cheating."

She gave him an offended look before suddenly looking over her shoulder with a startled expression. He did as she expected and looked in the direction she'd just been looking in for a moment before he heard the sound of running.

"I'm sorry!" Vesta called to him with a laugh as she raced to the Hall.

He groaned before taking off and didn't slow till he was only a few steps behind her. "You never play fair."

She chuckled before asking: "Where do you think I learned that trait?"

The two were still laughing when they walked through the doors of the Hall. There were still people coming in so they were far from late and Vesta had to hold back her reflex to smirk at Spitelout. She didn't know what it was about the Viking that made her want to irritate him so much and vice versa. All she knew was that they hadn't been able to tolerate each other since the first day she'd arrived on the island. Even Astrid had learned to tolerate her at this point.

She watched as Enar walked past the table where his men were sitting, along with Spitelout, and instead walked right up to Astrid. She watched as he gave her his famous charming smile and Astrid rolled her eyes before a smile of her own spread across her face. She then looked to the table that her sisters had claimed as their own and smiled at the exchanges between them and their Vikings.

Terra was studying a map, carefully taking in each design, while telling Eret about the islands she hoped to see someday. The ex-dragon trapper listened to her ramble as he kept one arm around her waist and twirled a piece of her dark brown hair around his finger while Skullcrusher stood close to them.

A little ways away, Isla pulled the water from her cup into the air and began making different shapes with it. Fishlegs ignored the plate in front of him, choosing to instead watch her in wonder as he watched her smile growl with every shape she made. Meatlug decided that the food in front of the Viking wouldn't go to waste. Instead, she quickly ate the contents off of the plate without Fishlegs ever noticing. Once Isla lowered the water back into her cup, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her's in a passionate kiss that erased every other person in the room from their minds.

A table over, things weren't quite as sweet but there was still an air of affection about them. Snotlout was arm wrestling Tuffnut and they were struggling to keep up with each other. Tuffnut was being cheered on by an anxious Ruffnut while Skya stood behind him with her hands on his shoulders.

"Oh, come on already," Ruffnut said and Snotlout smirked up at her as Tuffnut's hand hit the table. "Damn it, Tuff!"

"Ow!" Tuffnut said as he held his hand and Skya fought to smother her giggle.

Snotlout smirked at Ruffnut with an expectant look. She breathed a sigh of annoyance before saying: "Yeah, you won. What do you want?"

He didn't give her time to react as he put his hands on either side of her face and stole a kiss that left her wide-eyed. He backed away before saying: "I've wanted to do that for almost two years now."

Tuffnut opened his mouth to say something, probably an argument or inappropriate joke, but Skya quickly squeezed his shoulders to keep him quiet. She couldn't quite smother her giggle as Ruffnut punched Snotlout in the shoulder before turning and walking to Barf and Belch, hiding the smile on her face that was accompanied by a faint blush. However, there was no hiding the triumphant smile on Snotlout's face as he watched the blonde walk away.

"Nothing like a bit of young love between Vikings." A familiar voice said. Valka's voice was what pulled Vesta away from her observation of the young couples and she smiled nervously. "I can't help but wonder why it is that you seem content to stand alone though."

Vesta thought for a moment, trying to carefully word her thoughts before speaking them out loud. "I'm used to standing on my own, away from the crowd. Now isn't any different. Hiccup's duty as Chief comes before anything else, as it should."

A sad smile graced the older woman's features as she softly said: "He wants so much to make his father proud."

"I know he does," Vesta told her then smiled softly. "He wants his mother to be proud as well."

"I couldn't be more proud of him." Valka said with pride adding: "His father would have approved of you."

Vesta turned to look at the woman with a confused look, not understanding what had brought on the sudden statement. "You sound so sure."

Valka laughed softly and turned back to the crowd of Vikings before further explaining. "You are unlike most people. You stand on your own, guarded and defensive but have a free spirit. You've brought light back to my son's eyes, a task I thought would surely be impossible."

"Thank you but... I still don't understand." Vesta told her in her earnest.

"Stoick always had an admiration for those who completed impossible tasks," Valka stated and Vesta couldn't help the warmth in her heart at the words. Valka's approval had been more than she'd ever dreamed. However, to hear that Hiccup's father would have approved of her made a piece of her heart begin to thaw she'd never realized was cold.

"There it is!" Gobber suddenly said, causing her to come back to reality. Gobber held up his panpipes and played an off-key note that made the girls cringe. "I might be a little rusty on these."

Valka laughed before saying: "Well, you'll have to get practicing. You are the only one on the island who plays any kind of instrument."

"I'm afraid that's not entirely true," Enar announced and Astrid looked up at him with curiosity beaming her bright blue eyes.

She couldn't stop herself before asking: "Do you play?"

"No, sadly not." He admitted with a defeated sigh. He then shot Vesta a mischievous look. "Vesta, why don't you let them hear the song that you played for my father?"

Vesta glared at him but didn't say anything, hoping that no one besides Astrid had heard him. The hope was quickly washed away when Isla looked at her with excited eyes. Vesta knew what that look meant and tried to avoid eye contact, hoping that her sister would get the hint.

"Do you play?" Skya was the one to ask and Vesta rolled her eyes.

She shrugged before saying: "Not since I left the Grim Spirit Tribe. I'd rather not embarrass myself by playing horribly in front of the entire tribe."

Terra laughed as Isla looked at Vesta with wide eyes and clasped her hands together. "Please?"

"You may as well give in," Terra told her with a laugh. "You know you are going to."

Gobber extended the panpipes to her and she rolled her eyes. "One song."

Isla squealed excitedly before grabbing Fishlegs hand and looking up at him with bright blue eyes. "Dance with me?"

"How can I say no?" He asked with a smile before grabbing her hand and leading her to the center of the Hall.

Tuffnut snorted and was about to make a comment when Skya grabbed his hand and pulled him with her to where Fishlegs and Isla were standing. Eret had the same idea but handled it with a little more grace. He lifted Terra's hand to his lips and kissed it before asking: "Would you honor me with a dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask." She told him with a bright smile as she laced their fingers together.

He led her to the floor and raised her hand to give her an elegant spin before pulling her close. The moment her sisters looked in her direction, Vesta began to play a tune that was gentle but made for dancing. She closed her eyes and felt her worries fade away as the sound of the music filled her ears. She drifted off into her own world and never heard the sound of the doors opening.

Hiccup walked through the doors of the Hall, surprised to see people dancing and hearing the sound of Gobber's panpipes playing. The real surprise was to see that Gobber wasn't the one playing. He was dancing as he had several months ago when his mother and father had been reunited, reminding Hiccup of a happier time. He looked around until he found the source of the music and saw Vesta sitting at one of the tables by herself, lost in the music.

As he looked around, he watched as Enar extended a hand to Astrid and asked for a dance. Hiccup expected her to roll her eyes and say no but was surprised to see that she smiled and took his hand. He felt a twinge of sadness as he looked at the two, an understanding of how Astrid must have felt when she would see Vesta in his arms. It was a sign that they had both moved on despite his father's, and once his, hopes of them being together forever.

"You're doing great, lass," Gobber said gleefully, bringing Hiccup's attention back to the girl that was playing the music. A smile spread across his face as he looked at Vesta, the sadness he'd felt a moment ago long gone as he realized he was looking at his future.

He looked at the table where his mother was sitting, gently tapping her foot to the beat of the music and watching Vesta play. He took a breath before making his way across the Hall to her, a warm smile on his face.

"May I?" He asked, holding out a hand to her.

Valka lightly laughed before taking her son's hand and letting him lead her to where the others were dancing. He gave an amused smile as he saw that Ruffnut had somehow managed to convince Snotlout to dance with her. The two swayed awkwardly back and forth but looked content regardless. Valka smiled as she held her wrist up to meet Hiccup's and he couldn't help but notice a gleam in her eyes.

"Your father would be just as proud of you as I am." She told him as they switched directions.

He sighed softly as he said: "I just hope that I haven't disappointed him."

"You never have to wonder. He'd be proud of you." She assured him and glanced over his shoulder at Vesta. "For all of your choices."

They danced in silence for the rest of the time and after Vesta finished up the last few notes of the song, she handed the panpipes back to Gobber with a smile. Valka smiled as she watched the girl walk out of the door and nudged Hiccup.

He arched an eyebrow at her and she gestured to the door. "Go spend some time with your girl."

He laughed before saying: "I should really-"

"The Hall will still be here when you get back." She gently scolded before turning him around by the shoulders and giving him a gentle shove.

He took the hint before following Vesta out of the Hall and followed her quietly to the docks. She was always beautiful but seeing her standing in the moonlight nearly took his breath away. He knew that she knew he was behind her but not once did she make a move to acknowledge him.

"That was sweet of you." She said suddenly, never turning her back on the ocean.

Hiccup smirked softly before walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her from behind, pulling her close to him. "I couldn't stand the thought of her sitting there and missing him."

Vesta sighed as she leaned into his chest. "She's lucky to have you."

"I suppose. I didn't realize how much I missed out on until I met her." He admitted with a sigh of his own.

She smiled before looking back out at the ocean. "The moon is so beautiful."

He leaned down and gently placed a kiss on the bare skin of her neck before softly saying: "It's not the only thing."

She smiled and turned around to look into his eyes. He gently placed his hands on her waist before letting her hands gently rest on his shoulders. When he looked at her in confusion, she smiled before softly saying: "It seems only fair that I get a dance tonight."

"There's no music." He told her with a shy laugh as he suddenly felt nervous.

"Listen to the world around you. It's all the music you need." The moment the words left her mouth, Hiccup could hear the sound of the wind howling and the ocean waves softly crashing.

The two began to gently sway to the sound of the ocean and lose themselves in each other's arms. He wasn't sure how long they danced and it didn't matter. He would have lost himself in that moment forever, given the choice. The steady sound of her heartbeat caused him to stop his movement and look into her bright pink eyes, curiosity and a touch of something else that he couldn't name in her eyes.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close before pressing his lips to her's in a heated kiss that caused her to gasp. He took his time to trace the shape of her lips and relish the taste of her kiss as both of their hearts began to race. The moment she kissed him back he knew that he was right. He wanted her to be a part of his future, his dreams, his hopes, and every day for the rest of his life.

He was in love with her.

 *****So sorry about the long wait for this chapter but I hope it was worth it. I have been drowning in finals and schoolwork so I have just recently been able to get on fanfiction. Thank you to Guest, KoolKatLottie123, and gossamermouse101 for the reviews on the last chapter. They made me smile and made me want to post this as soon as possible. Thank you for reading and have a great day!**


	24. Chapter 24- Problems and Progress

"Can you slow down just a little?" Enar asked as Stormfly dove towards the ocean for the sixth time in an hour. He had thought that after everything he'd been through, nothing would scare him but the gates of Hel itself. As it turned out, a Deadly Nadder and her beautiful, but equally deadly, blonde rider had proven him wrong.

Astrid laughed in pure amusement at the comment. "I thought you were a fearless warrior, Enar?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist tighter as they dove towards the ocean again, the cool air hitting his face and pushing his black hair away from his eyes. "Big difference between charging into battle and falling into the ocean from the clouds."

Stormfly let out a noise of disapproval before twirling over the water and Enar squeezed Astrid tighter. She blushed lightly at the motion but she couldn't deny that she liked it. If she was honest, the feeling of his strong arms around her gave more of a thrill to the flight.

She decided to let up on the rough ride and patted Stormfly on the side. "Okay, Stormfly, level out."

Stormfly growled and took to the clouds as her rider instructed. The Deadly Nadder then glided through the clouds effortless and Astrid let her hands graze the clouds as she had nearly six years ago. The feeling of wonder hadn't changed at all since her first flight with Hiccup and Toothless. A sad smile touched her face as she thought back to the thrilling time of when she first realized she was falling for him.

Enar's soft voice brought her out of her memories and back to her reality. "You always wear a sad smile when you think about him."

She looked back at him in surprise before running a hand through her blonde hair out of nervousness. "I guess I just got comfortable with the idea of us being together for the rest of our lives."

"Comfortable." He said with a light chuckle. He held her tighter as his words sunk in. "Not in mad, passionate love but comfortable."

She threw a glare over her shoulder but didn't argue with him. He was right. Though the idea of him being with someone else had bothered her, she hadn't been near as angry as she thought she would. She had thought if the time ever came that he chose someone else that she wouldn't hesitate to put an axe in their face. Seeing him so happy with Vesta had caused her to feel sad but, in a way, it also made her feel relieved.

"I'm just glad that they found each other when they did." She admitted as she looked down at her saddle.

"I just hope he's sure of his choice." Enar's voice had a sarcastic yet dangerous tone to it. "I'm not planning on giving you up that easy."

She was surprised by the words but turned to meet his smug smile with a sarcastic smirk of her own. "What makes you think you have me?"

He smiled before leaning in until he was only a breath away to softly whisper: "The most wonderful things in life don't come easy, my beauty."

Any sarcastic remark she could have thought of was quickly erased by the intensity in his warm brown eyes and the way his sincere smile made her heart skip a beat. She cleared her throat before looking away from him, knowing that if she looked into his eyes much longer she was bound to do something she would regret.

They flew only moments longer before settling into the arena where the rest of the Riders and the sisters were gathered. The moment they jumped off of Stormfly's back, Enar didn't hesitate to wrap his arm around Astrid's waist. Hiccup arched an eyebrow in curiosity before smiling as he watched Astrid put a hand over Enar's hand that was resting on her hip.

He laughed softly before saying: "Looks like you survived your flight."

Enar shivered slightly at the thought before saying: "I don't think flying is for me but I quite enjoyed the company."

"Astrid must not have minded too much either," Vesta told him as she slipped on her black, fingerless gloves.

The blonde Viking shrugged before saying: "It wasn't as awful as I thought it would be."

Hiccup laughed softly as he looked at them with approval. "Good to see you two getting along."

Astrid smiled at the words. She knew that what she and Hiccup had was long gone but they were still friends. Just as her approval of Vesta had mattered to him, his approval of Enar mattered to her as well.

"Well, that's two fewer people you have to worry about killing each other," Vesta told him as she gently brushed a strand of hair out of his face.

He leaned down and gently touched his forehead to her's before saying: "Now if I could just get you and Spitelout to get along."

"Not gonna happen." She told him before leaning in and placing a quick kiss on his lips.

she had planned to leave it at just that but was quickly pulled into an embrace and his lips claimed her own a moment later. She didn't hesitate to let her hands gently run through his hair as she lost herself in the kiss. Affection wasn't something she'd ever liked to show, be it in private or in public. Hiccup had changed that and it seemed that she no longer cared where they were when they kissed.

"Here I thought it was bad when he and Astrid were together." Snotlout said with a groan, causing the two to pull apart.

Vesta placed one last peck on his lips before walking towards the center of the arena where Hookfang was waiting. "Ready?"

"What exactly are you having them do?" Astrid asked Hiccup, unsure what to think as Vesta effortlessly lifted herself onto Hookfang.

Fishlegs' voice was proud as he explained: "Hiccup and I thought it would be a great idea to have them ride the dragons that they were already familiar with on their own before choosing their dragons."

Ruffnut grinned as she looked at Barf and Belch with pride. "Except for Skya. Tuff insisted on going with her while she rode Barf."

"She feels a little more secure with him there too, Ruff," Isla explained as she gently rested her hand on Meatlug's side. She then climbed up onto the Gronckle's back before looking at Fishlegs with nervous eyes.

He smiled at her with assurance before turning to Hiccup, who was standing next to an alert Toothless. Fishlegs squeezed her hand before assuring her. "If anything goes wrong, Hiccup and Toothless will be right there."

She laughed softly, her bright blue eyes shimmer with excitement. "Meatlug won't let anything happen to me. It's the dragon that I'll eventually choose as my own that concerns me."

"That's where the training comes in." Hiccup told her without a hint of hesitation. He gently put a hand on Toothless before explaining: "Dragons are naturally protective but learning to ride one can be tricky at times. With a bit of training, you'll have it mastered in no time."

Isla returned his smile before leaning down and quickly giving Fishlegs a light kiss. She then settled onto Meatlug and took a breath. "Now or never, girl."

Terra jumped onto the back of Skullcrusher without hesitation and held on tightly to his saddle, taking a steadying breath of her own. Eret smiled proudly at the dark-haired beauty before relaxing against the wall and keeping his eyes trained on her.

Ruffnut smiled in amazement as she watched the eldest sister stay steady on the Rumblehorn. "Here I thought she would be nervous."

Eret shrugged before saying: "She said that she would rather get it over with and jump on. That if she waited, she would change her mind."

"Doesn't mean that I'm not terrified," Terra scolded and Eret couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him.

Snotlout snorted before giving her a smirk. "Terrified or Terra- fied?"

Astrid groaned before putting her palm on her forehead and Enar rolled his eyes before saying: "That is truly awful."

Terra looked over in the irritating Viking's direction and glared. She raised her hand and was about to cause the ground beneath him to shake enough to scare him when a shot of fire went in his direction. Everyone turned to look in Vesta and Hookfang's direction but the duo took to the skies before a word could be said, the sound of their laughter fading as they flew higher.

"I don't even know which one of them to be mad at." Snotlout said as he threw his helmet on the ground to put it out.

Tuffnut snorted before pointing a small detail out. "Red flame."

Snotlout thought for a minute before yelling at the culprit. "Vesta!"

Hiccup tried to smother his laughter but only laughed harder when Snotlout turned to glare at him with his scorched helmet in his hand. Astrid chuckled at the exchange between the two before leaning into Enar and hearing him laugh softly as well.

"Let's go!" Tuffnut yelled and Barf and Belch growled in excitement.

Skya's eyes went wide and she turned to look at him in shock before saying: "Now?"

The Zippleback reared back and took off toward's the sky, followed by the sound of both excited and horrified screaming. Terra rolled her eyes before gently putting her hand on Skullcrusher's side before the two took off after her sisters.

"Thank the gods Meatlug moves slow," Isla whispered softly as she rubbed the dragon's head.

She looked back at the blue-haired teen before taking off much faster than Isla had anticipated. She squealed as they took off towards the sky and Fishlegs whimpered softly. "I probably should have warned her."

"You think?" Astrid asked in alarm as she stared at them. "Do you think we should follow close? Just in case?"

Hiccup breathed a sigh before climbing onto Toothless, his prosthetic connecting to help control the Night Fury's tail. "I offered but Vesta said that it was better to let them figure out they could build trust without us hovering."

Enar looked over at him with a surprised expression before rolling his eyes. "I suggest you be quick. She's more than likely going to do something crazy."

"Not to mention, the closest one of us up there is Tuffnut," Ruffnut said with a snort.

"That's really not comforting." Hiccup said and Toothless grew uneasy. The Night Fury looked back at his Rider with worried eyes and Hiccup tried to calm him with a reassuring smile. "It's okay, bud. We're here if they need us."

The sisters were relieved by how easy the flying was. The trust between the sisters and the dragons had already been established long ago. However, they had been slightly nervous about flying on their own. The thought was immediately erased when they went to the skies.

Vesta watched as her sisters effortlessly flew with the dragons. There wasn't a single look of fear in their eyes but instead looks of contentment. Hookfang growled softly, bringing her attention back to her own flying companion.

She laughed softly at the Monstrous Nightmares attempt to get her attention. "Pleasant change from Snotlout?" Hookfang let out a growl of laughter as he did a quick spin through the air, causing the redhead to laugh as some of her hair came out of its braid.

Her laughter stopped when she moved the hair out of her face and saw a ship far from the island, hiding in the shadows of a large rock. She looked closer and saw the outline of an animal on the sail. She felt her heart sink when she realized that the outline was of a lion's proud face.

She hadn't noticed Hookfang had changed directions until she leaned forward too far to get a closer look. She suddenly felt herself falling through the air and the wind hitting her face. She called out for the dragon and Terra screamed as she saw Vesta falling through the air, fear written all over the girl's face.

Skya looked to see what was going on and didn't hesitate before doing the only thing she could think of. "Hiccup!"

Truth be told, he had been watching her after Enar's comment and at at the sound of the girl's cry for help, they took to the skies. Vesta turned to see Hookfang flying frantically as he tried to get closer to her and she reached her hand out to grab the saddle, unaware of her sister's call for help. She felt her breath be taken away as she came to a sudden stop in the air and heard a sound of relief that wasn't her own. She immediately recognized the pair of arms that wrapped around her securely and only then did her body allow her to relax.

Once they landed securely, she clung to Hiccup for a few moments to let her world stop spinning while she caught her breath. She then moved out of his embrace and put her feet on the ground, holding his hand for support in case she fell. She let go after a moment to see that her sisters had landed and that Terra was running towards her.

"Are you okay?" Terra asked as she began inspecting her for any injury that she may have. "Are you hurt?"

She moved away from her before saying: "I'm fine. I have to get back up in the air."

Terra's worried expression turned to anger as she said: "Absolutely not."

"You almost plummeted to your death. I think keeping your damn feet on the ground would be a good call." Skya said, using the older sister tone that was extremely rare for her.

Isla tried to be the reasonable one and softly said: "I'm going to have to agree with Skya."

Vesta wasn't listening to any of them as Hookfang landed and she climbed back up on him without a moment of hesitation. "I have to see something."

"Vesta Evaleen Soraya Dawnstriker, don't you dare!" Terra growled and Vesta felt a moment of hesitation at the sound of her full name. Terra was furious, more so than usual. She'd only ever used her full name once before and that was when she'd begged her not to leave after their mother died.

She took a breath before looking at her sister with a warm smile, hoping to put her at ease. "I'll be right back."

"She's not going alone." Hiccup said in an attempt to assure Terra, who glared at him in return. "She's going with us."

"I can do this on my own," Vesta told him sharply. If her instincts were right, she didn't want him anywhere near the intruder.

Hiccup gave her a stunned look before exchanging a look with Hookfang, who dug his claws into the ground. Vesta sighed before jumping off of the Monstrous Nightmare and walking over to the Night Fury. She jumped onto the back of Toothless, who growled softly in response to her climbing on, almost assuring her that everything would be okay.

They took off a moment later and once they were out of sight, she hugged him tightly. Hiccup had been tense since they left and the last thing she wanted him to think was that she was angry with him. Hiccup relaxed into her touch before softly asking: "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"I thought I saw a ship, hiding in the shadows." She admitted but once she looked in the direction of the rock, she saw that there was no trace of a ship to be found. "What?"

She groaned lightly before leaning into his back, unsure if her mind was playing tricks on her or if she had been right. She would rather question her sanity than think for even a moment that he was anywhere near them. Still, the person that she was holding onto was more than enough reason to be sure.

Hiccup put a reassuring hand over her own before softly speaking. "Vesta, there's nothing here. A ship wouldn't have the chance to get away in that short amount of time."

She tensed up and moved away from him slightly but held his hand tighter as she looked out at the ocean. "I know what I saw, Hiccup. Which is why I have to be sure it wasn't there."

"You can come with me on my shift tonight when I scout the island." He told her and she didn't take her eyes off of the sea, still searching. He squeezed her hand gently before saying: "Whatever it takes to get that look out of your eyes."

She didn't say or do anything that acknowledged that she'd heard him. She continued to stare out at the sea. She sighed in defeat before turning back to him. "No, you're right. It was probably nothing."

He hadn't known her long but he knew that she didn't believe that. He was about to argue when he looked back at Berk. His duties as chief came first but that didn't mean that their discussion was over. He would discuss it again with her later when it was just the two of them and they weren't pressed for time.

Toothless lightly growled, causing Hiccup to smile. The Night Fury could always tell when he was on edge but always had a way of reassuring him that everything was okay. "Alright, bud, let's get back home."

The flight home was not nearly long enough for Terra to cool down. She was walking up to the two before Vesta had even had time to put her feet on the ground. Isla and Skya had both decided to let their sisters work things out on their own but it was easy to tell that Isla was more worried about her sister's feelings than Skya.

"Just what is it that you thought you saw that was so important? Vesta of all the-" Terra was cut off as Vesta wrapped her sister in a quick hug. It took only a moment for the brunette to respond and hug her back tightly. "You're still in trouble."

Vesta laughed softly before pulling out of the hug, a mischievous look in her bright rose-colored eyes. "I stay in trouble."

"Can you please keep them out of trouble while I tend to the village?" Hiccup asked Eret with a nervous look in Vesta's direction. "More specifically: keep Vesta out of trouble?"

The ex-dragon trapper laughed before patting Hiccup's shoulder. "I'll keep them busy."

Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief before turning to look at the girls, who were all glaring at him. Vesta let her glare softly turn into a smile before gesturing for him to go. The moment he was out of sight, she and her sisters went their separate ways. Skya would be with the twins while they gave their dragon a much-needed bath, Terra would be with Eret and Gobber at the forge, and Isla would be tending to the gardens with Fishlegs. Her own plans weren't nearly as relaxing. Not with the fear of the unknown clouding her mind.

She walked carefully to not draw attention to herself as she headed back to the Dragon Training Academy where she could hear the sound of weapons being thrown. She was relieved to see the person she was looking for standing there. She was even more relieved to see that she was standing there alone and quickly took the opportunity to approach. Astrid had yet to see Vesta standing in the opening and threw her axe, hitting her target perfectly.

Vesta knew they had improved a great deal since their first encounter but she wasn't sure if they had come far enough for Astrid to even consider what she was about to ask. Vesta took a breath and prayed to the gods for intervention as she touched the blonde on the shoulder. When Astrid turned to see who it was, she was about to give a sarcastic remark. That vanished when she recognized the worried look in the teen's eyes.

"I need your help."

 *****Hey everyone! I'm finally back with an update. I want to give a big thank you to gossamermouse101 and Guest for the reviews on the last chapter. I also hope you all enjoy this one as well and that it was worth the wait. Thank you for reading and I hope you all have a great day!**


	25. Chapter 25- Dradena

"What exactly are we looking for?" Astrid asked as she looked over the open water of the ocean.

She hadn't asked for an explanation when Vesta had said she needed her help but after over an hour of looking at the sea, she was beginning to question Vesta's, and her own, sanity. The fact that they had left Berk without letting anyone know was bad and Astrid knew that the welcome back would not be a pleasant one.

Still, Vesta's eyes had a weary expression in them and she hadn't taken her eyes off of the water since they had departed. "The ship I saw is not one that I want anywhere near Berk's waters."

"I understand that," Astrid told her as she gently put a hand on Stormfly's side. "I know you wouldn't ask for help if it wasn't serious. Let alone, help from me. What is so bad about one ship?"

"It won't just be one. It's not about the ship itself but more about the sails." Astrid looked back at her, waiting for further explanation. Vesta took a breath before explaining further. "The sails on the ship was of a lion's face. Proud, deadly, and all too familiar. The last time I saw this ship, I watched an entire island be destroyed in the blink of an eye."

The blonde looked out at the ocean with fierce blue eyes as she scanned the waters more closely. "What would they want from Berk?"

"The leader of the fleet is has been angry beyond reason for four years. There isn't a reason anymore." Vesta admitted as she watched realization spread across Astrid's features.

She felt her grow tense and Vesta didn't know what to expect as Astrid growled. "The person you are worried about is your father?"

"Yes," Vesta admitted with a heavy sigh. "I saw him two years ago when I was on my own. I had come across a village that he'd destroyed and tried to help the survivors. What I saw..."

"Vesta, what did you see?" Astrid asked. Her eyes were like steel but she wasn't sure she wanted to know as a haunted expression crossed the redhead's features.

Vesta sighed softly before saying: "Men, women, and children were executed one by one. I can remember the blood staining the white sands of the beach, the smell of rotting bodies, and the sound of people screaming." She shuttered at the memories as they came through clear and the screams echoed in her thoughts. "I can remember rushing to help but having one of the survivors pull me into the forest. I could have easily gotten away but if I had, I would have given them away."

"You helped all of them that you could. Your father's actions aren't your fault." Astrid told her, wanting to offer a small amount of comfort to the girl.

Vesta let out a small sigh before asking: "Aren't I?"

Astrid smiled softly before saying: "No. Vesta, you were willing to charge an army to help a group of strangers. Your father would have never put someone before himself as you did. I've seen you do it on more than one occasion."

"I should have left when I'd planned to." She said suddenly. "If anything happens to Berk... If anything happens to Hiccup-"

"You really think he wouldn't come after you if you left? You think any of us wouldn't?" Astrid questioned, stating that it wasn't just Hiccup that she would have to worry about. "Berk is your home now. We may not have the best relationship but don't think for a second that I wouldn't be right there with you in a fight."

Vesta couldn't keep the shock off of her face as she looked at the blonde. "Why?"

"Hiccup's falling for you, you idiot." She told her and didn't let her recover before adding: "He would rather die next to you than have you disappear. You've proven yourself and I wouldn't be here if I didn't consider you one of us."

Vesta smiled, unsure of what to say. "Thank you, Astrid."

The blonde snorted before saying: "Don't let it go to your head. Besides, we made a deal. You drank the yaknog so I agreed to be nicer."

This broke the tension between them and the girls who had once been enemies shared a laugh. Vesta looked out to the horizon and thought for a moment before asking: "Can we get into any more trouble than we already are?"

"Probably not," Astrid said with a laugh. "Why?"

Vesta felt a heavy feeling in her heart as she said: "Fly to the East. We need to make a stop."

Astrid arched an eyebrow but asked no questions. "Stormfly, we are going East."

The dragon growled before changing directions with ease. They flew in silence as Vesta scanned the horizon for the place that she was looking for. She had lost all emotion as they flew and as the sun disappeared, she knew that Hiccup was sure to be angry when they returned, along with her sisters. Still, this was something that needed to be done.

They flew for hours and it was when the first break of dawn came that Astrid finally asked: "Do you know where you're going?"

"There," Vesta said suddenly as she pointed to a large island. Instead of huts, there were large stone buildings and as they drew closer, Astrid could see that a few of the people were awake early.

"Okay, where are we?" She asked as she noticed that the people didn't look up even as they flew above them. Astrid saw stables, marketplaces, and several stone buildings gathered in one area while a few people in expensive clothing talked. "The land of tea and dresses?"

"Close. This is Dradena." Vesta told her with a heavy heart as she scanned the area. "Go to the edge of the forest, near the cliff. "

Stormfly growled as she glided closer to the forest, giving the girls a better view of the scene below them. Astrid watched as the busy town disappeared into peaceful forest. "I take it you've been here before."

Vesta smiled sadly before taking a breath. "I would have called it home four years ago."

"So what are we looking for?" Astrid asked after a moment of silence.

"A burned building that has been abandoned. I need to see something." Vesta told her as she looked around.

Astrid pointed in the direction of a place that had clearly been burned to the ground many years ago. The stone had stains of black from the ashes and there were beams collapsed onto the ground but those small details were all that entailed that it may have once been a home.

Stormfly drew closer to the ground and once the girls were on their feet, laid down in the cool grass. She watched them closely but was tired from the long flight to the area. Astrid gently put a hand on Stormfly before walking with Vesta to the door that hung open by a single hinge.

Fresh tears sprang to her eyes as the smell of ash filled her senses and she looked down, refusing to let them fall. Astrid gently put a hand on her shoulder before calling her back from her nightmares. "Do you want me to go in first?"

"No," Vesta said softly, before repeating the word. "No, this is my disaster. I ran from it before but it's time that I face this."

Astrid nodded in understanding before assuring her. "I'm right behind you."

They walked in, slowly and carefully as to not cause more damage. It looked like nothing had changed since Vesta had been there but a piece of cloth on one of the beams reminded her that one thing had. She gently pulled it off the wooded area to not tear the piece of yellow fabric. She could see delicate designs of white lace etched into it and felt her heart break a little more.

"My mother had golden eyes so she wore yellow a lot. Terra used to call her our sunshine. Even in the harshest storms, she always found a way to make us smile." Vesta said as she gently ran her hand over the fabric, her mother's laugh echoing in her thoughts.

Astrid let her take a moment to reminisce before saying: "We should keep looking."

Vesta wiped her eyes before placing the fabric back on the beam. Astrid grabbed it and gently tucked it into a small pouch on her belt. Vesta smiled gratefully before continuing her search. For what, she was unsure but there was something there.

After an hour of searching, they were ready to give up. Vesta sighed softly before saying: "This was a wasted trip."

Astrid yawned softly before saying: "No, it wasn't. You look less worried."

Vesta laughed before spotting a small chest hidden behind one of the beams. She walked over and could see that the chest was the only thing that had survived in the house and she gestured for Astrid to come over.

After removing the beam, she found a latch on the chest and felt a surge of annoyance. "I wonder if the damn key survived."

"I have it," Astrid said. Vesta was about to ask how when Astrid threw her axe onto the latch, causing it to break. "Opens just about anything."

Vesta laughed before pulling the latch off and opening the box. She could see several letters in the chest that had been spared from the fire. She picked one up and noticed that there was no return on them. "Whose are these?"

Astrid picked one up and scanned it before seeing a name in them. "I think they are your father's."

"What?" Vesta asked and Astrid handed her the letter. She scanned through the writing and could see that the letter seemed to be about business until the very end. "There isn't a name but it's signed "yours" and has the faint smell of perfume on it."

Astrid looked at them curiously before asking: "I thought you said your parents were madly in love?"

She looked through a few more letters and noticed that they all had the same ending word. "Looks like my father was a better liar than I thought."

Astrid tossed her the brown satchel that she had brought. "Put them in there. We'll read them when we get back. There might be some information in them."

After sealing the letters safely, the girls walked back to Stormfly. The moment they were in the air and away from Dradena, Vesta told Astrid in a stern voice. "Not a word about where we went and what we found, not to anyone. Hiccup or Enar included."

"Don't take this the wrong way but I doubt Hiccup is going to let us get a word in when we get back... for a few days," Astrid said and the girls groaned, knowing that the next few days were going to be a lot to handle.

It was nearly sunset when they returned to Berk and once they landed in the arena, they could see their companions rushing to them. They hadn't even landed securely when Stormfly left for the stables and Astrid snorted.

"Guess she said we are on our own this time." Vesta told her with a light laugh."

"Looks like it," Astrid said with a smirk, hoping that their laughter would ease their friends worry just a bit.

Terra growled out the question: "You think this is funny?"

"Where the Hel have you been?" Skya asked as she looked at her sister, her gray eyes like rough storms as she stared her down.

Vesta held up her hands as if trying to calm a wild animal. "We're fine. We got lost."

Enar walked forward and stared the redhead down as he asked: "You expect me to believe that?"

"No, but it was worth a shot," Vesta said as she crossed her arms over her chest. Defiant till the end even though she knew that now wasn't the time to do so.

She faltered when her eyes met a pair of green ones that were void of any emotion. Hiccup leaned against Toothless in the back as their companions fussed over them and she could see that even the Night Fury had a look of unease on his face.

"Hiccup," Astrid started but grew quiet when he didn't look at her. His eyes were trained on Vesta's bright pink eyes that were looking anywhere else.

"Well..." Fishlegs started before rubbing Isla's arm softly.

Isla was angry with her sister for leaving but wasn't about to let everyone jump all over her then and there. Hiccup would be bad enough.

She sighed before smiling. "I'm sure Astrid is tired and hungry after the long trip. Let's eat and let her tell us all about their little adventure."

"I second that motion," Tuffnut said as he grabbed Skya's arm and pulled her in the direction of the Mead Hall.

Eret gently wrapped an arm around Terra's waist and when she looked up at him, he softly said: "Not now. Let them talk."

She sighed before looking at her sister. "We will talk later."

"Can't wait," Vesta said with a nervous smile. Her sister's anger she could handle. Hiccup? Not so much.

Snotlout stayed behind only a moment before giving her a worried smile and saying: "Good luck."

"I have a feeling I'm going to need it." She told him anxiously as she held the satchel to her.

The moment they were out of hearing distance, she expected Hiccup to start screaming at her but she was met with only silence. She sat the satchel down and walked over to him so that she didn't seem like such a scared animal.

When he still didn't say anything, she finally spoke. "Hiccup, say something. Anything would be good at this point."

"Why? So you can leave again?" He growled out. She bit her lip nervously before looking at her feet.

She rubbed her arms before saying: "I guess I deserve that."

He glared at her before saying: "I thought I made it clear that you are safe here? I also asked that if you decided you weren't happy here that the only I asked was a bit of warning before you took off and left?"

"Hiccup, I didn't think that..." She tried to explain and took a moment to try to gather the right words.

He couldn't help the anger that was laced with each word as he said: "That much is obvious."

She felt anger flare in her as she stood toe to toe with him and looked into his eyes. "Hiccup, I have made it just fine on my own for the past four years. Don't think for a minute that I need help from anyone on this island!"

"I know that!" He yelled back and realization spread across her features. "If you needed me I would feel better because I know you wouldn't leave. You think I don't know that if you just decide to pack up and leave that I'll never see you again if you don't want to be found?"

All the anger in her body faded as she saw the honest look in his eyes. "Hiccup... I have no plans to leave. I definitely wouldn't take Astrid with me if I was. I just needed to make sure that the people I cared about were safe."

"Why take Astrid?" He asked with a gesture of his hand to where they had walked off. "I told you that we would look on my patrol last night. Why didn't you come to me?"

She bit her lip before taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "You are the Chief of Berk. You can't just disappear because of something that might be wrong. You're people need you here."

He knew she was right and that if something were to happen while he was away he would never forgive himself. He had continued his duties and fought against the urge to send a search party after them but every spare moment was filled with prayers for them both to return safely. "What were you thinking?"

"That I couldn't live without knowing." She told him before looking up. She wanted to tell him what she had found more than anything but she didn't want to destroy her sisters' looks on their family any more than she already had. Hiccup would never say anything directly but the sympathy in his eyes would tell them more than she wanted them to know. At least until she knew if it was true.

He sighed softly before saying: "You aren't going to elaborate on that any more than you have, are you?"

She shook her head and her heart slowed it's rapid pace when he gave her a teasing smile. "You aren't mad?"

"I didn't say that." He stated before pulling her into his arms. She let herself relax in his embrace as he kissed her cheek. "You just owe me a favor and a promise."

She laughed softly before pulling away. "Should I be scared?"

He crossed his arms over his chest before nodding and she felt her heart sink. He had that wicked smirk on his face and a mischievous look in his eyes as he stared at her. " The favor: you get to help Fishlegs and Isla with the Dragon Explorers tomorrow."

She laughed waiting for him to say that he was kidding but when the smile didn't fade, she knew he was serious. "Kids? That's my punishment?"

"Yep." He told her with a wicked smile and Toothless let out a growl of laughter as he watched the girl's face turn annoyed.

"You can't just tie me to a post and set me on fire?" She asked sarcastically as she put her hands on her hips.

He pretended to think for a moment before saying: "Nope, wouldn't do any good."

"What about the promise?" She asked with a curious expression as she waited for him to say something.

He leaned down and softly pressed his lips to her's. She lost herself in that kiss but he only let it last a moment. "Promise me that you won't disappear without a good reason."

The request broke her heart as she looked into his eyes. In her promise to not leave without thought, he was promising to not look for her. She leaned up and breathed the word: "Promise" against his lips before sealing it with a kiss of her own.

He pulled away too soon for her liking and jumped onto Toothless' back as the dragon growled happily. She snorted before crossing her arms over her chest and looking at the duo.

"You are beyond cruel." She told him with a roll of her eyes.

He didn't look in her direction but instead focused on the ocean as he said: "You should get something to eat and get some rest before tomorrow."

"Hiccup," She softly called but didn't take a step forward to approach him, worried that he would fly off before she could explain. "I'm sorry."

He sighed before looking at her with his heart in his eyes. She could look beneath his green eyes and see dark circles under them where he hadn't slept. His eyes went to the satchel and he asked: "Where did you really go?"

She wanted to tell him more than anything but the satchel on her hip reminded her of what was at stake. "Hiccup..."

"More secrets." He said with a sigh before looking up into her pleading eyes.

She bit her lip, unsure of what to say before settling with: "I just want to be sure before I say anything."

He breathed out an aggravated sigh before quickly saying: "Good night, Vesta."

He didn't even give her time to reply before the two took to the skies and she saw Toothless cast a sympathetic look in her direction before flying higher. She looked down at the satchel before sitting down in the center of the arena. She pulled out the first letter and with a twist of her hand, a ball of fire appeared close enough where she could read but where she wasn't in danger of burning anything.

"Please be worth it."

 *****Hey everyone! I'm finally back with an update. I have been sick on and off and have been experiencing writers block along with dealing with school so I apologize for the long wait for this chapter. Thank you for reading and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and be sure to keep a lookout for the next! Have a great day!**


	26. Chapter 26- Scarring and Healing

It was just after sunrise when Hiccup and Toothless took their morning flight. They had only just finished helping Sven gather up his sheep and put them back in their pen when they took off. The young chief would never understand how the sheep were able to escape so often but had given up on finding an answer a long time ago. Toothless growled softly before turning towards the arena rather than going to the ocean as Hiccup had expected.

"What is it, bud?" He asked with surprise as Toothless landed in the arena. The chief jumped off of the Night Fury after seeing that he had no intention of moving at the moment. He looked around the arena and saw that it appeared to be empty but he knew better. Gothi had come to him before the sun had risen to let him know that Vesta had never returned to the Thorston's hut.

He felt her presence from behind him but didn't turn to look back at her. He was still angry that she had taken off with Astrid but that wasn't the reason he couldn't look at her. He was embarrassed by how he had acted and couldn't bring himself to look in her eyes for fear of what he would see. She had never promised to stay on Berk and his actions hadn't helped his argument for her to stay.

"I'm not stupid enough to think that you are going to just let it go but... can we talk?" She asked, her voice unreadable. He turned around to look at her and saw that her expression was also blank.

"Vesta..." He started but couldn't find the words to say anything else or the will to walk over to her.

She smiled softly, but he could tell that it was just to ease his worries, not a genuine smile. "Okay, I'll talk."

She walked over to him and he felt his heart beat faster with every step she took before she finally closed the distance between them. He'd expected her to start arguing with him as soon as she didn't have to yell but she surprised him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and softly brushed her lips against his, testing her boundaries to see how he would react.

She didn't have to wait long as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed her closer to him, his mouth claiming her's in a passionate kiss that stole her breath. She could feel her mind beginning to cloud and pulled away from him before she forgot what she had needed to say. She looked into his green eyes before gently placing a hand on his cheek, gently brushing over it with the pad of her thumb.

"I'm not sorry for leaving. I'm sorry for scaring you but I couldn't ask you to do what needed to be done." She took a steadying breath before saying what she knew would upset him. "Nor can I tell you what I found in those letters. Not yet."

Though his green eyes still held affection in them as he looked at her, his frustration was clear in the tight line of his lips where a gentle smile usually played. "You still don't trust me."

She dropped her hand down by her side at the words, slightly hurt by the accusation. "It's not that. These letters have more in them than I thought they would and I just want the pieces together before I tell anyone." She told him, the fierceness in her eyes confirming her words. Her rose-colored eyes softened a moment later. "I know this is a bad time to ask but I'm going to need your help. I want to teach my sisters how to use their abilities in a fight rather than just defense."

Hiccup arched an eyebrow at her before crossing his arms over his chest. "They handled themselves just fine with the trespassing ships."

She crossed her arms over chest before explaining: "They can use their elements when they are under extreme pressure but as far as staying focused, they don't have it. I've learned how to use my element to whatever means necessary because I've been on my own."

"In other words, if they use their abilities in the heat of battle, they may not be able to get them back under control." Hiccup said and the look in her eyes was enough to confirm what he said. "How did you get control of yours?" His words were sharp as he asked: "Or is that a secret too?"

Vesta looked up at him with a cold expression and saw the regret in his eyes immediately. She reminded herself that he had a right to be angry because not only had she put herself in danger, but Astrid as well. Valka's words about him being angry because he cared for her also resurfaced in her mind. The woman was far wiser than she gave herself credit for.

"Hiccup," She said, her voice calm so not to trigger another argument. "I stayed on an island that didn't have another living soul for four months because I swore that I would never lose control of my abilities again."

He was reminded at that moment that it wasn't just those four months she'd been alone. Once her mother died, she'd made it a goal to keep as far away from people as possible, both physically and emotionally. She still hadn't fully bonded with her sisters but she'd shown him pieces of herself that she'd locked away for years, some by choice while others he simply saw.

He smiled softly before grabbing the hand that rested at her side and lacing their fingers together. "I'm here for you, whatever you need."

She smiled brightly, his response easing all of her worries. "Can we start today?"

He leaned down to brush his lips against her's before pulling away too soon. "Go get your sisters while I wake the other Riders. After I've finished my duties, we'll start the training and maybe end with a flight. Your flying could use some work."

"You mean so I don't come crashing to the ground again?" She asked with a snort as she placed her hands on her hips.

"That's exactly what I mean." He told her before jumping onto Toothless' back. He'd all but forgotten his Night Fury companion standing in the background as the young couple talked. Vesta had taken off towards town, grabbing the satchel that she'd found yesterday as she went. Hiccup laughed as she disappeared before placing his hand on Toothless' head in silent thanks for bringing him to the arena.

Two hours before sundown, the sisters and the Riders were all gathered in the arena with Gothi and Valka observing them. Her sisters all shared mixed expressions as they looked at her, still uneasy about the idea of their sister keeping secrets from them but they had shown up regardless. Terra looked at her sister with a displeased expression, still not fully forgiving of her taking off without a word. It was only with Eret's convincing that the brunette was in the arena now. Vesta wasn't sure if his arm around Terra's waist was just because he wanted to hold her close or because she may bolt at any moment. One of Isla's hands held Fishlegs' while the other rested on Meatlug, who had taken to standing close to the girl when Isla was uneasy about something. Skya leaned against Tuffnut with a curious expression on her face as she listened to Ruffnut and Snotlout bicker playfully about something while they waited for them to speak.

"You can back out now if you want." Hiccup told her with an assuring smile and a nudge of his elbow against her arm.

She took a deep breath before looking to Astrid, who had stood next to her in support regardless of not knowing what was going on. The blonde shrugged before crossing her arms. "I'd say let's run off again but, unfortunately, you weren't the only in trouble yesterday."

Enar snorted as he wrapped an arm around Astrid's waist before giving Vesta a teasing smile. "Take off with my girl again and we'll have to have some words, little phoenix."

"Your girl?" Astrid asked with a coy smile of her own. "I don't remember making this official."

Enar smiled before leaning down and kissing her passionately. He pulled away after a moment and then wrapped his arm back around her while she continued to stare in shock. "How's that for official?"

Enar winked in Vesta's direction as she realized he'd kissed Astrid not only because he wanted to but because he knew it would lighten the mood. She turned back to her sisters and the other Riders with a look of certainty in her eyes that didn't match the confidence in her voice. "You need to work on our offense. All of you."

"What do you mean? In case you didn't notice, we have kicked major butt since you guys have been here." Snotlout said with a snort as leaned back against Hookfang.

Tuffnut held up a finger before saying: "We have indeed kicked much butt since they have been here but we aren't perfect yet."

"Close, but not quite." Ruffnut agreed and Vesta saw Skya roll her eyes.

Toothless growled from behind Vesta, seeming to urge her to make what she meant clear. Hiccup cleared his throat to mimic the action and she took a breath. "I meant my sisters."

"Vesta," Terra started, not saying another word until Vesta turned to her. "What are you talking about?"

"Your abilities," Vesta explained further. "I know that you can control them in everyday things but you have never had to use it for an offense. Not like I have at least."

Isla's blue eyes were concerned as she asked: "Do you think we need to work on it?"

"I thought we did pretty good with those attackers," Skya told her with a proud smile and Isla smirked at her sister for assuming that's what she meant.

Vesta held up her hands in frustration before explaining further. "That's not what I mean. I'm proud of you for standing on your own with the invaders but you didn't lose control by sheer grace. I want to teach you how to control your abilities when you can't focus on them fully."

"I don't think you are the one who really needs to teach anyone about control, sister," Terra growled and Eret turned to her in shock at the harshness of the words. It seemed that every time they got past the age-old argument, it was brought up again.

Still, Vesta remained calm despite the sting that the words caused. Eret gave her a look of apology that calmed her nerves. Terra was still angry, and with good reason, but they would hopefully work past that one day. It just wasn't that day. Instead, Vesta let it go.

"I just want you safe. Just let me try to teach you and if it doesn't work, I won't bring it up again." Vesta explained and Terra's eyes were unbelieving at her sister's willingness to compromise.

"Promise?" Terra asked and Vesta nodded, hoping to assure her. "Then we're with you."

Isla smiled before eagerly asking: "Where do we start?"

"Target practice is always a good place to start." Hiccup suggested as he gestured to the targets that were already set up. Vesta smiled before turning to her sisters.

"Let's get started."

After an hour's worth of practicing with Terra and Skya, Vesta felt proud of her sisters and herself. Terra had successfully managed to both crush her target with a boulder and open the ground beneath it. Eret smiled admiringly as he sat with the twins to observe the girls.

"Isn't she incredible?"

Astrid giggled softly as she said: "I don't think I've seen you so proud since you took your first solo flight with Skullcrusher."

He laughed softly before turning back to observe her. "I never would have imagined that I would have someone to be proud of, let alone admire."

The sweet romantic looks he gave were interrupted by Ruffnut and Tuffnut's cheering as Skya focused on the target. Vesta had told them to make noise to help Skya detach herself from her mind and to focus more on trusting her abilities.

"That's right, babe! Knock the wind out of it!" Tuffnut yelled with excitement. This was followed by Ruffnut screaming: "Or into it! Whichever one works!"

Barf and Belch growled, almost seeming to mimic the cheering from their Riders as she rushed the wind to the targets, causing them to fall to the ground. She gave an etiquette bow before rejoining her sisters.

Vesta called to her two older sisters to take a break as she saw Isla gently making waves in the bucket of water Fishlegs had brought her. The large Viking placed a hand on her own, ceasing the water and pulling her attention to him. "You can do this. I know you can. You can do anything you put your mind to."

Isla looked down at the ground as she said: "I'm not scared of not being able to do it, I'm scared of hurting someone. I felt so guilty after sending that ship sailing and no one got hurt."

"You won't, Isla. Vesta knows how to help you." Fishlegs assured her before turning to Vesta. "Right?"

Vesta nodded before giving her a reassuring smile. "Absolutely. Fishlegs can even stay right next to you if you like."

Isla jumped up and hugged her sister before pulling away and walking towards the targets with Fishlegs behind her, carrying the bucket of water. "What do you want me to do?"

Vesta smiled, happy to see her eager to learn at last. "I want you to make it into ice and then hit the target. It doesn't have to be the center but I want it to be in the target."

"What kind of muttonhead practice is that?" Snotlout asked and Vesta didn't have to reply as Ruffnut punched him in the shoulder while Hookfang smacked him on his helmet with his tail.

Isla raised the water and formed it halfway before it fell back into the bucket. She looked at Vesta, disappointment written in her features until Vesta gave her an encouraging smile. Fishlegs smiled softly before saying: "It's okay. Give yourself time and try again."

"Okay, if you think so." Isla raised the water out of the bucket once again and closed her eyes, thinking of a frozen lake and thinking of the details in the ice. She opened her eyes to see that the trick had worked and the water had turned into a sharp icicle. She threw her hand forward and the ice followed, hitting the edge of the target.

Fishlegs smiled in delight before handing her another bucket of water. Isla raised the water from the bucket and this time, she didn't have to think as much before it turned to ice.

"Don't miss!" Gustav's voice suddenly shouted from above, causing Isla to look as she was throwing the icicle. The sudden change in direction caused it to avoid the target she had seen and instead find a new one.

Valka's eyes went wide and she couldn't help but call for the one who was about to be hit. "Son!"

Hiccup didn't have time to turn around before the icicle plunged into his good leg, ripping through the skin and bones as if it were paper. He fell to the ground as he clutched his leg, groaning in pain but trying not to make much noise so he wouldn't frighten anyone.

Gustav was in sheer panic as he and Fanghook flew overhead and he watched the event unravel. "Hiccup, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to- I mean-"

"Go get Gothi's herbs and hurry back!" Astrid called and the boy took off at the sound of command in her voice.

Isla ran forward and tried her best to get the water to turn back into its original state but her inability to calm down made the task impossible. Valka rushed to Hiccup's side as she looked to the twins and Snotlout. "Go to the village and make sure no one comes down here. We can't let them be alarmed."

They took off on their dragons without an argument as Fishlegs pulled Isla to him. She cried quietly, not wanting to make the situation worse as her friend lay there in pain. Hiccup saw the girl and softly said: "Isla, it's okay. I'm okay."

Eret looked at the wound before a disturbed look crossed his face. "You may lose this one. There's a lot of damage done to it."

"I knew this was a bad idea," Terra said softly as she pulled some herbs from one of the boxes lying there. Toothless growled at the girl as he watched carefully over his companion, softly licking Hiccup's face to try to comfort him.

Valka looked at the girl with a surprisingly calm expression as she said: "Now isn't the time."

Terra looked up at her apologetically before resuming to try and care for the wound with the herbs. She looked to Vesta, who had immediately fallen to her knees beside Hiccup and was currently holding his hand so he could move some of the pressure he felt to her hand.

Terra took a breath before saying: "I can't place the herbs on the wound properly until the ice is gone. See if you can melt it."

"And risk burning him?" Vesta growled but Terra grabbed her hands and brought it to the wound.

The brunette gave her an encouraging look as she crumpled the herbs to make a salve to place on the wound to hold until Gustav returned with Gothi's medicine.

Valka nodded to the girl before saying: "You can do this. Please, at least try."

Vesta didn't bother arguing with her as she leaned down to press a kiss to Hiccup's cheek before softly whispering: "Lie still. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't." Hiccup assured her with a ragged intake of breath as her hand rested on the ice, causing pressure on the wound. Enar placed his hand on Hiccup's leg, just above the wound, to be sure that he didn't move the wound and cause more damage while Astrid and Gothi observed the flames come to Vesta's hands.

She focused on the wound and melting the ice within it, praying to the gods that he would heal and not lose another limb. She then felt a strange warmth and sense of calm wash over her as the bright flames turned to a warm gold light. She removed her hands immediately, unsure what her emotions were doing to her abilities until she saw what she had done.

Much like the icicle, the wound was gone. The only sign that it had ever been there was Hiccup's torn clothing and the blood on the ground and Vesta's pants. Vesta looked to Gothi and couldn't stop herself before asking: "What just happened?"

The old woman shrugged before looking to the chief with questioning eyes. Valka voiced the Elder's concerns by asking: "Are you alright?"

Hiccup stood from the ground with ease as he looked down at his leg. "It's like it didn't happen. It doesn't even sting."

Isla finally pulled away from Fishlegs to see that the wound was gone, her cheeks still wet from tears. Hiccup looked to the girl with a reassuring smile as he said: "I'm okay. I feel fine."

Vesta couldn't even focus on what was happening as she stared at her hands, a million questions going through her mind. Hiccup gently held her hands in his, causing her to look up at him with a shaken expression.

"You said that your fire was a curse, that it only brought destruction. I think the gods decided to give you something to bring balance. A healing ability." Valka told her with a smile, hoping that this would be good news to her.

She had a million questions and even more things that she wanted to say but she pushed them to the side and looked at Hiccup. "I think you need to rest."

"I think we all could use some rest," Valka said in agreement as she carefully watched Hiccup.

"You guys head back, I'll let everyone know what's going on," Astrid told them with a smile, hoping to ease some of the tension.

They didn't have to be told twice as Valka and Hiccup headed to their home, Vesta following behind them with Toothless at her side. She thought for a few awful moments that she had only imagined healing him and worried that he would collapse at any moment. Toothless growled softly, sensing the girl's worry and his toothless grin helped ease some of her worries as she gave the dragon a smirk.

Valka turned around and smiled at the young couple, that hadn't said a word to each other since leaving the arena. "I'm going to go for a flight with Cloudjumper before it gets too late. I'll be back soon."

Hiccup laughed, getting his mother's subtle hint for them to be alone for a while. "I'm not the only one who needs a break. Have fun."

The mother and son exchanged a hug before she turned to Vesta, a grateful smile on her face. She moved away from her son to pull the girl in for a hug, shock spread across the redhead's face. "Thank you."

Vesta hugged her back didn't have time to reply as the woman took off in the direction of where her dragon was, leaving the couple and the Night Fury in front of the Haddock hut. Hiccup ran a hand through his hair out of nervousness as he tried to think of something to say to break the silence between them.

Vesta cleared her throat before saying: "I guess I should get back to the twins' hut. I wouldn't want to-"

"Stay." Hiccup said suddenly and the girl blinked, unsure if she'd heard right. He smiled anxiously before asking: "Will you stay with me?"

She was about to come up with a reason not to stay when Toothless nudged her in the direction of the hut. She took the hint and though she was uncertain of her choice, she nodded and followed him through his home and up the stairs to his room. She watched as the Night Fury moved to his bed and laid down, falling asleep in a matter of moments.

"I wish I could do that," Vesta said with a disbelieving smirk.

Hiccup looked over at his companion and chuckled as he saw what she meant. "So do I."

Vesta turned away from the Night Fury to see Hiccup pull off his armor and change into a simple green tunic, thankfully leaving his leggings on. He sat down on the bed and looked up at her nervously as he reached down to remove the prosthetic. She'd proven time and again that she was unaffected by it but he still felt nervous taking it off in front of her.

She surprised him by walking over to him and kneeling in front of him, gently removing his hands from it. She removed it with ease before setting it on his dresser next to the bed. She surprised him even more by gently pulling his pants leg up just above the missing limb and placed a soft kiss on the scarred flesh. He couldn't help the sharp intake of breath that the contact made and the response caused her to blush.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned back on the bed, pulling her with him in the process. He laughed as she quickly moved to lay on her side, careful not to put any pressure on either of his legs. He watched as she moved one of her arms under her head and seemed to distance herself from him.

"It doesn't hurt." He assured her as a worried expression crossed her face but when it didn't ease, he knew that wasn't what was worrying her.

She lifted up on her arm and took a steadying breath before explaining. "Hiccup, my mom was a healer. Not like Gothi but like- like what I did, with your leg. She told us that one of us would inherit the gift but it wouldn't be who we expected."

He gently rested his hand over her's that was on his cheek. "You've never seen the good in your ability. Maybe this is to help you see the good in yourself."

"How can I?" She asked softly as she stared behind him at the flame resting on his dresser, watching the light it cast onto his prosthetic. "One slip up can cost me everything. I've seen the pain I can cause."

His green eyes were thoughtful as he explained his view to her. "Isla knows now that her's can too. The intention is what matters. You didn't mean to hurt anyone any more than Isla did today."

Guilt crossed her features as she told him: "Isla has done more good in her life than bad."

He wrapped an arm around her waist, watching her carefully as he pulled her close. He looked deeply into her rose-colored eyes, a smile playing on his face as he said: " So have you. I've seen it first hand the good you can do. You healed me today but you've done more good than that. You've helped Gothi with her herbs, the Dragon Explorers train in survival, and Gobber in the forge. Not to mention the stories that Enar has told of your selfless deeds."

She giggled softly before saying: "You know he exaggerates those stories."

"I know but it's still got some truth to it and makes for an interesting story." He told her with a laugh of his own. He kissed her cheek softly before adding: "There's also everything you've done for me. I can't imagine my life without you, nor would I ever want to."

The smile fell from her lips as she buried her face in his chest so he could see her expression. "Don't say things you might regret."

He held her close as he ran his fingers through her hair, a yawn escaping him as he let his eyes close. "You are the only thing I will never regret."

She knew it was pointless to argue because it was only moments later she heard his even breathing that told her he was asleep. She nestled into him closely, a smile playing on her lips as she let herself drift to sleep, her last thought being a prayer to Freya for control of the flames she'd been given and the ability she needed to balance her destruction.

 *****So that was a long chapter and it has been a long time in the making. I have wanted to update sooner but I was sick for over a week, downing in school work and dealing with a break up to go with it. The next chapter will be one that has been a long time coming and I am so excited to finally write this one. Thank you for reading and I hope you all have a great day!**


	27. Chapter 27- Hard Truth

Hiccup had barely had time to look out to see that the moon had yet to hide when he noticed Vesta staring at her notes, dark circles under her eyes giving away the fact that she had yet to fall asleep. He looked over to see Toothless still sleeping soundly on his bed before yawning and sitting up to get a better view of her.

"You have your worried face on again." Hiccup stated and she looked up from the letters she had been reading to see his sleepy smile. "Am I ever going to actually be able to wake up next to you?"

She smiled softly but it only lasted for a moment before she went back to the letter that had caused her concern. After feeling his eyes on her for a few more moments and seeing that he wasn't going to go back to sleep, she finally gave in and walked over to sit back on the bed next to him while carefully keeping the letter's words out of his sight.

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her cheek before saying: "It's going to be okay."

"I don't think it is." She let out a sigh before adding: "Not this time."

"I'm guessing your dad had a few secrets that he really wanted to keep hidden." He laid his head on her shoulder, his eyes staring at the piece of paper in her hands.

She took one hand from the letter to press it to her forehead, feeling a headache approaching her as she let the written words sink in. "I didn't think I could hate him any more than I already did." She sighed before adding: "He just had to go and prove me wrong."

Normally, his curiosity would have gotten the better of him but he averted his eyes from the letter and instead leaned in to place a kiss on her neck. He let his lips linger on her flesh for just a moment before pulling away and looking at her, pleased to see that some of her tension had been wiped away.

He pulled her close to him before softly saying: "It's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay."

"I wish." She said softly as she stared at the letter. "I don't see how anything is going to be okay after I tell my sisters. I feel like this is just going to give Terra another reason to hate me."

"She doesn't hate you." He said with a small smile, not quite fully convinced himself.

She leaned back against him and placed her hand on the arm that was wrapped around her. "You didn't see the looks she gave me when I healed you. I could hear her throwing accusations and practically asking me: why now? Why could I save you and not my mom?"

She didn't see his lips press into a firm line or the flash of hurt in his eyes as the words hit him. Instead, all she could tell was that he tightened his embrace and repeated: "She doesn't hate you."

Her lips were still resting close to her ear and she turned her head to place a kiss on his lips as a sign of reassurance. "I would do it again in a heartbeat, Hiccup. Please don't think for a second that I regret it."

He wanted to say that he wouldn't blame her if she did. She'd known him only a short while and he knew the pain of losing a parent too soon. There were times he would give up anything to see his dad again and he knew she felt the same about her mom. It didn't matter how much time had passed, that pain would remain with them for the rest of their lives.

She sighed softly before letting out a shaky laugh. "I'm terrible at this relationship thing. I thought it would get easier but it's still awful."

He couldn't help but laugh before kissing her cheek. "We are both just going to have to learn how to do this."

She frowned then before looking back at the note. She had a thoughtful expression cross her face as she looked back at him. "How do you feel about running away?"

"How do you feel about Snotlout running the village?" Hiccup asked, sarcasm pouring with each word.

She snorted softly before saying: "Right, stupid idea. Snotlout would have this place falling off the edge of the cliff before we made it out of view." She bit her lip for a moment before asking: "How did you tell your dad that your mom was still alive?"

"He kind of found out on his own. Long story short, mom kidnapped me and brought me to where she was, dad came to save me, they stumbled upon each other." He told her with a shrug before raising an eyebrow. "Is that what the letter said?"

She shook her head before explaining: "No, it's probably just going to be as much of a shock."

He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, hoping it would give her some comfort. "Just tell them the news and answer questions as they come." He smirked at her before adding: "I could help more if I knew what was going on though."

"I wish I didn't know what was going on." She told him before folding the letter up. She then stood up walked across the room to where her boots were. She pulled them on quickly and looked at him as she began to pull her hair up. "No time like the present so let's go."

"Wait, you're giving bad news this early in the morning?" He asked with a groan before laying back on his bed. "You are cruel."

She rolled her eyes at the childlike gesture before letting out a fake sigh of defeat. "I suppose you can stay here and sleep. I was just, you know, under the impression that you wanted to be there for me."

He grabbed the single pillow from his bed and threw it at her hands, causing her to drop her hair back around her waist and knocking the black ribbon from her hand. She smirked before throwing it back at him and he held up his arm to block his face from the impact. He went to throw it back at her but didn't realize that he didn't have a good grip on it and they both watched as it hit the Night Fury, who had managed to sleep through everything else.

They watched as Toothless picked his head up and groaned at the sight of the two humans that had woken him from his sleep. Toothless groaned before glaring at the two, causing Hiccup to shrug and Vesta to laugh. He turned his glare on her and she picked up the pillow that had rolled in her direction.

She tossed it on the bed and placed her hands on her hips before bargaining: "Go wake up my sisters and drag them to the arena and I'll get you extra fish for breakfast."

The dragon gave a mischievous smile before quickly leaving the house, nearly knocking Vesta to the ground in his hurry to go wake the others. She looked almost sheepish as she said: "Maybe I should have told him to not wake the rest of the village in the process."

"It might have been a good idea." Hiccup told her as he straightened out his armor and attached the prosthetic leg once more. He stifled a yawn as he stood up before walking over to her and gesturing toward the steps that led downstairs. "Ready?"

She didn't answer him but simply made her way downstairs. After all, there wasn't really a way to be ready for this.

Half an hour later, Vesta was staring at three extremely annoyed sisters, a supportive Hiccup, and one proud dragon. She didn't know how he had managed it but Toothless had gotten her sisters up and ready without waking even the twins in his rush.

Skya rubbed her eyes tiredly, defending the title as the sleepiest sister, before growling: "Why are we up so early? Some of us like to sleep."

"I have to agree. This is too early, even for you." Terra agreed as she ran a hand through her hair, trying to keep herself from falling asleep where she stood.

"You look exhausted," Isla said, concern laced in every word. "More so than usual." A concerned look crossed her face as she asked: "What's wrong?"

Vesta took a calming breath before holding up the letter that she'd reread several times since going to her old home. It seemed that no matter how many times she read it, the words didn't seem to make sense. Looking at her sisters now, she knew that every word of it was true.

"Astrid and I traveled to Dradena a few days ago because I thought I'd seen a familiar ship while flying." She began and she fought the urge to look anywhere but at their faces. "I didn't find any evidence suggesting that what I'd seen had been real but we discovered that Charon's chest had survived the fire. Astrid and I opened it up to find several letters stowed away inside. After reading the letters I came across some very... unsettling news."

Skya no longer looked tired as she stared at her sister. No, the only look that she could give was one of concern and both Terra and Isla seemed to echo this expression. Isla bit her lip nervously and grabbed Skya's shaking hand as Terra asked: "What did the letter say?"

The sound of her heart racing in her ears nearly blocked out any sound and her instincts were screaming at her to burn the letter and let the truth remain a mystery. However, Vesta stood her ground and fought back the urge as she said the words that would forever shatter the memory of their parent's marriage.

"I didn't set the fire that killed our mom. Charon's mistress did."

 *****Hi everyone! So, it has been a really rough few months. . I was in shock at how long it had been so I started picking up my writing again. I had nearly finished the chapter when my computer crashed. It was an expensive repair to make but I finally got it back. I have also been having a hectic time with family and school lately. However, I will be finishing this story and updating whenever possible. Thank you for being patient and I hope that this chapter was worth the wait. Have a great day and I can't wait to hear what you think!**


	28. Chapter 28- Mourning's Rise

Silence. That was all that could be heard in the arena. There was no sound of sobbing, no quiet gasps of shock, and no words of denial. The only sound came from Toothless' shallow breathing and the sound of Vesta's heart drumming in her ears. Hiccup wasn't the kind of person to let people stand alone against the world but he knew that Vesta wouldn't want him to flock to her in an attempt to comfort her, not without her sisters having the same option.

While no words were spoken aloud, the sisters' eyes spoke volumes. Isla's blue eyes were slightly red as the tears she was holding back began to sting. Skya's grey eyes were wide in shock and disbelief as she stared at her sister. Terra's green eyes seemed to glow with a rage that she wouldn't voice purely because she didn't want to upset her other sisters anymore than they already were. Vesta's eyes, despite how her sisters were looking at her, were completely blank. She'd learned to hide her emotions long ago and now was no different.

"Vesta..." Isla said, her voice soft as snow as the tears finally fell down her cheeks. "Are you sure?"

Vesta nodded but couldn't meet her youngest sister's eyes. They had all faced so much heartache and Vesta hated that she was causing them even more in that moment. "The chest that no one had the key to was spared in the fire. I found the letters that she sent to him and a few that he had planned to send but never got the chance."

"Unbelievable," Terra growled, her voice sharp as a blade.

Skya exhaled a shaky breath before saying: "I can' believe that dad would-"

"I want to see them." Terra's voice interrupted. Vesta looked up with questioning eyes as her sister glared at her.

Hiccup walked up behind Vesta to put a calming hand on her shoulder, hoping to ease at least one of the sisters' sudden rage. He could see it in their eyes and their shaking hands that there was an unspoken battle going on.

Vesta, as always, was the one to voice the fight where everyone could hear. "Do you think that I hate him so much that I would make this up? That I would purposefully break my sisters' hearts and admit into the open that dad didn't think mom was enough?"

Terra's expression did not change from it's angered state as she said: "I know you would believe almost anything in the hope that the fire wasn't your fault."

"Terra!" Isla scolded, causing the small group to look at the youngest of the sisters. "Vesta has lived with this for years and has hated herself for it. If she was going to make something up, she would have done it a long time ago."

Skya, the voice of reason, interrupted before any more hurtful words could be said." Don't you think you owe her the benefit of the doubt?"

Toothless growled softly before nudging the redhead's shoulder in silent encouragement. She placed her hand on his head before nodding her eldest sister's direction. "I understand the want to see the proof with your own eyes but I would have rather not known the truth myself. Dad and I have never seen eye to eye but I would have almost rather believed that mom's death was my fault for the rest of my life rather than knowing that he didn't think she was enough for him."

She took a calming breath before saying: "If you want to see the letters for yourself, they are on the desk in Hiccup's home. I have no want to look at them again."

Terra didn't say another word but stormed off in the direction of the Chief's hut, not giving her sister another glance. Vesta adopted this attitude as she walked out of the arena, not meeting anyone's eye. As much as Hiccup wanted to go after her, he knew that Vesta needed the time alone. Instead, he and Toothless walked over to Isla and Skya.

Skya seemed to be deep in thought, her gray eyes uncertain and full of questions. She clung to Isla, who had finally allowed herself to sob into her older sister's shoulder as everything she once thought was true came crumbling down once again. Hiccup looked up and saw the same strength in Skya's eyes as he had seen in Vesta's so many times. The strength of allowing another to lean on her for comfort when she wanted to fall apart herself.

Hiccup gently touched her shoulder before saying: "Go find Tuffnut. He and Ruffnut are doing the patrols today and you look like you could use some time off the island."

"Hiccup, I-" She started and he knew exactly what she was going to say but he knew what she needed.

He smiled softly as he put a reassuring hand on Isla, who leaned into him without question. "I've got her." Toothless growled and gave him a lopsided grin as he turned to the side. He nodded in understanding before looking down at Isla." How does a morning flight over the ocean sound?"

She nodded into his chest before moving away and climbing onto Toothless, who leaned back and licked her face, causing her to giggle softly as she waved her hands to remove the saliva from her face. She then turned to her sister with a reassuring smile, despite the obvious hurt that was still clear on her face and gave Skya a nod of encouragement.

"Thank you," Skya told him softly before giving him a quick hug. He barely had time to return the affectionate act before she took off in the direction of the hut, attempting to use her long purple hair to hide the tears streaming down her face.

Hiccup looked after her for a moment before jumping onto Toothless' saddle. Isla spoke softly as she asked: "Shouldn't you be doing this with Vesta?"

"Vesta wanted to handle this one on her own. Plus, she's not the only important woman in my life. You're family to me, Isla, regardless of how your sister feels about the idea."

Tears welled up in her eyes again as she hugged him from behind. "I couldn't ask for a better brother."

Toothless growled before they took off into the sky and Hiccup looked down towards the village to see Vesta taking off into the forest in a full run. As much as he wanted to be by her side, he knew that she didn't need him at the moment. He made a silent promise to stand by the sisters' sides as long as they were there, no matter what trials they would face.

A promise he hoped they could still keep to each other.

 *****I can not even begin to start with what has gone on the past few months as to why I have not been able to update this story. I've finished my first two years of college and have been working as many hours as possible since and have also been dealing with personal issues. My mental health state has not been well for the past several months and it has been a fight every day but I am happy to say that I am improving every day. Anyway, I hope that you all have enjoyed this update and I hope that my next one will not take nearly this long. Thank you for reading and I hope to hear what you think soon! Have a great day everyone!**


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